Beard on Bread (32 page)

Peel, seed, and cut the tomatoes in very small pieces (or, if using canned tomatoes, drain, seed, and chop). Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet, add the tomatoes and garlic, and let them reduce to a paste over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Peel and chop the onions and steam
them in the butter over low heat, covered, until they form a rather thick purée.

After the first rising, roll the dough out to about ⅜ inch in thickness and line two 9-inch-square cake tins or one 12-inch tart pan. Brush with softened butter and put in a warm place to rise slightly.

Sprinkle the brioche shell with the grated Parmesan. Spread the onions over it, and sprinkle with the rosemary. Cover with the tomato purée. Arrange the anchovies in a lattice pattern on the tomatoes, and place an olive in the center of each opening. Brush the olives with a little olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°, until the crust is golden and cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Brush the top with more olive oil before serving hot as an hors d’oeuvre or a main luncheon dish.

This is a rolled loaf that I often bake in a soufflé mold. I have a glass mold that is perfect for it, although porcelain works well too. The loaf has great flavor and texture and is made with a filling reminiscent of pizza. It is ordinarily served warm as a first course for an Italian meal or as a cocktail snack. Extraordinarily good in a novel way, it does not keep very well, and should be made only if it can be eaten still warm from the oven.

[12 servings]

In a mixing bowl combine the yeast, sugar, and ½ cup of the water, and allow the yeast to proof. Add the rest of the warm water to the yeast mixture along with the salt and the olive oil. Stir in the flour and beat with a wooden spoon or with your hands to make a stiff, sticky dough. Turn the dough out on a well-floured board and knead until velvety smooth and elastic but firm, about 10 minutes. Oil a large bowl, add the dough, and turn to thoroughly coat with the oil. Place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until about doubled in bulk, 1 to 1½ hours.

Punch the dough down, turn out on a lightly floured board, and let rest for 4 or 5 minutes, or until you can roll it out easily. Roll into a rectangle about 7 inches wide and 15 inches long. Spread with the sauce—a
homemade, well-spiced tomato sauce or a prepared pizza sauce that has some flavor and distinction (I would not recommend catsup or chili sauce), leaving an inch of border on all sides. Sprinkle with the basil, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella, and starting from the wide end, roll in jelly-roll fashion. Pinch the edges well, form into a circle, and fit into a buttered 6- to 8-cup mold. (Be sure it is tightly rolled and well sealed, so the sauce does not ooze out during baking.)

Brush the roll well with the egg wash and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until doubled in bulk. (A thorough rising is very important here.) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°. Place the mold on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature of the oven to 350° and continue to bake another 35 to 45 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when you remove it from the mold and rap it, top and bottom, with your knuckles.

Let cool in the mold for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove to a rack. Serve warm, cut into wedges.

For a higher glaze, brush the loaf with an egg wash about 10 minutes before it leaves the oven.

A flat loaf topped with a mixture of lamb, pine nuts, tomato, and garlic, this Arab counterpart of pizza is exceedingly delicious, intriguing looking, and a delightful change from other dishes of this type. It makes a nice snack for lunch, or it can be cut into small pieces and served with cocktails. What’s more, it is fun to make.

[8 servings]

To prepare the dough, dissolve the yeast, with the sugar, in about ½ cup of the lukewarm water and allow to proof for about 10 minutes. Put the flour and salt in a large, warm mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil and the yeast mixture. Work the dough vigorously, adding the remaining lukewarm water gradually to make a soft dough. Knead, in the bowl, for about 15 minutes, until the dough is pliable and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours, or until doubled in bulk. Lightly oil the top of the dough to prevent a crust from forming.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil until wilted but not browned. Remove from the heat and add garlic. Add to the ground meat along with the rest of the ingredients and blend well. Make a small sample patty, fry in ½ teaspoon olive oil, and taste. Correct the seasonings. Set aside while you roll out the dough.

Turn out the dough on a lightly floured board and knead a few times. Divide into walnut-sized balls and allow to rest for a few minutes, then roll each piece with a lightly floured rolling pin into a circle 5 to
6 inches in diameter. Spread the prepared filling generously over each piece. Transfer each piece after you have prepared it to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 450° to 500° for 8 to 10 minutes. The patties should be well done but still pale in color.

These are old American standards and remain hearty, delicious tidbits for breakfast or for picnics or just between-meal snacking. The filled ones have long been great favorites of mine. They will keep very well if frozen when fresh; reconstitute them in an oven at 350° for 15 minutes or in a microwave oven for 1½ minutes.

[About 12 to 14 doughnuts]

Place the yeast in a mixing bowl, add the warm water, and stir. Add the sugar and mix well. Let stand 10 or 15 minutes to proof. With the hands or 2 wooden spoons, stir in the egg, then the milk, melted butter, flour, and salt. Continue to stir until the dough is springy. Brush the top of the dough lightly with additional melted butter or margarine and cover with waxed paper or foil. Place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours. (Note, however, that this dough is easier to roll out if put in the refrigerator to rise overnight, or at least for 4 hours.)