Bread Machine (222 page)
In a bowl, combine the cheeses, herbs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and garlic.
Remove the toasts from the oven, pile the cheese mixture on in a thick layer, and return to the oven until melted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and eat immediately.
Makes 24 toast fingers, serves 6 to 8
This is real cinnamon toast, described by poets as disarmingly naive, probably because of its inherent simplicity. But oh the bouquet of warm cinnamon and a good homemade bread. When I make these, I use my delicate Vietnam Extra Fancy cinnamon from Penzeys Spices, and savor every bite. Use a bread with a close texture so that it won’t flop around. These are perfect for afternoon tea for two, or more. Darjeeling with milk, please.
1
1
/
4
cups sugar
1
1
/
2
tablespoons ground cinnamon
Eight
1
/
2
-inch-thick slices homemade white or whole wheat bread, crusts removed
3
/
4
cup (1
1
/
2
sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, melted, or butter-flavored cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon on a plate. With a pastry brush, brush both sides, tops, and bottoms of each slice of bread with melted butter or margarine or spray with the cooking spray. Then dip both sides of each slice into the cinnamon sugar. You may need to use your fingers or a spoon to sift sugar all over the bread. Place the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until crisp, 10 to 14 minutes, turning the toasts once. Keep an eye on the toasts while they bake to prevent burning. Transfer the toasts from the baking sheet to a cutting board, and cut each slice into 3 wide strips. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 toasts
Sweet almond toasts are known in France as
bostock
. They are made in bakeries from day-old brioche, and are immensely popular snacks, sort of a flat almond croissant. Some bakeries sprinkle them with kirsch liqueur before baking, but unless you can get a bottle of a top grade brand from France, Germany, or Switzerland, and you are serving adults, the almonds are just fine on their own. Make these open-faced sandwiches with
Brioche Bread
or
Butter Bread
. Serve with café au lait, omelets, and a fruit salad.
3
/
4
cup (1
1
/
2
sticks) unsalted butter
3
/
4
cup sugar
5 ounces almonds, finely ground (1
1
/
2
cups)
1 large egg
1
1
/
2
teaspoons almond extract
Eight 1-inch-thick slices day-old homemade white bread, sliced from the center of the loaf
1 cup sliced or chopped almonds, for sprinkling Sifted confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the ground almonds, egg, and almond extract. Beat until a smooth paste is formed.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Spread each slice of bread almost to the edges with the almond butter. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds. Place the bread in a single layer on an ungreased heavy baking sheet. Bake until the topping begins to brown and puff, and the bottoms of the bread are lightly toasted, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet to a serving tray, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, and serve immediately or at room temperature.
The original garlic bread, bruschetta are thick slices of chewy day-old bread that are toasted under the broiler or grilled over a wood or charcoal fire. A large clove of garlic is rubbed over the sandpaper-like surface of the toasted slices until the clove disappears completely into the pores of the bread. Then the slices are drizzled with a fruity, flavorful olive oil, the more character the better. There are no exact measurements needed here; one or two slices per person of a bread machine-made loaf would be sufficient. Bruschetta is a great appetizer for guests gathered around the grill sipping red wine, or as an accompaniment to soup or salads.
Homemade Italian, whole wheat Italian, French, or sourdough bread
Whole peeled garlic cloves (1 clove per 2 slices of bread) or a whole head of garlic that has been cut in half horizontally
Extra-virgin olive oil in a small pitcher or cruet
Slice the bread into 2-inch-thick slices. Place the slices in a toaster, under a preheated broiler, or on an oiled rack about 4 inches above glowing coals or a gas grill. Toast both sides of the slices until golden brown. Impale the clove of garlic on a fork or hold the cut head by the stem or root end, and while the toast is still hot, rub it with the garlic, using as little or as much as you like. Drizzle the bruschetta with plenty of olive oil. Serve the toast hot.
Makes 6 bruschetta
This should be made with vine-ripened tomatoes in the summer and fall.
Six 1-inch-thick slices homemade white or whole wheat country-style bread, preferably sliced from the center of a whole loaf
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled, with a thin slice cut from the end of each clove
1
/
2
cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large ripe tomatoes (preferably vine-ripened, just picked, and not refrigerated), cut into
1
/
2
-inch slices
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
Sea salt and fresh-ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh arugula, leaves only
Lightly toast both sides of the bread over a charcoal or gas grill, under the broiler, or in a toaster oven. Remove the toast from the heat, and rub one side of it with the cut end of a garlic clove. Place the bruschettaon a serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil and top each slice with overlapping slices of tomato. Drizzle with some vinegar and some more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and scatter with arugula. Serve immediately.