Bread Machine (223 page)
Bruschetta with Cheese and Honey
This recipe comes to America from Italy’s Badiaa Coltibuono cooking school. A beautiful, very simple dessert, it is best drizzled with a strong honey, such as buckwheat honey, and an assertive, fruity olive oil. In Italy, it was traditionally served with chestnut honey, estate olive oil, and
pecorino toscano,
a firm sheep’s milk cheese. Since
pecorino toscano
is hard to find here, grill specialist Jay Harlow suggests you substitute Asiago, fontina, or Gruyère. Serve this bruschetta with a dessert wine or coffee.
Homemade Italian, whole wheat Italian, French, or sourdough bread
Extra-virgin olive oil in a small pitcher or cruet
Asiago, fontina, or Gruyère cheese, cut into thick slices
Dark, strong flower or herb honey
Slice the bread into 1-inch-thick slices and place them in a toaster or under a preheated broiler or on an oiled grill rack about 4 inches above glowing coals or over a gas grill. Toast one side of the bread until golden brown. Turn them and drizzle with a bit of olive oil, then a layer of cheese. Continue to toast the slices until the cheese is melted, keeping an eye on them so the bread does not burn. Transfer the bruschetta to a dessert plate and serve immediately drizzled with plenty of honey.
Savory little tea sandwiches are a popular and economical style of imaginative entertaining—a rediscovery. Once for a shoestring wedding, I brought Tupperware containers filled with sixteen dozen of my smoked turkey sandwiches as my gift. They almost caused a riot. Tea sandwiches are simply tiny sandwiches, a tasty filling encased by two slices of firm bread. One of the keys to these few-bite wonders is to take special care with the type of bread you use. Bread machine breads of just about any flavor work perfectly because of their tight, firm texture. Some people partially freeze the loaf first, to cut perfect slices by hand or with a home meat slicer. Spread a slice of bread with a topping, place another slice over the top, cut off the crusts, and cut the sandwich in half or quarters, or, if you prefer, into a geometric shape with the aid of a biscuit cutter. You can also leave tea sandwiches open-faced, in which case they are called canapés. You may wish to garnish the tops.
Sandwich fillings can be made a day ahead and the sandwiches assembled in assembly-line fashion the day of the party. This is especially fun if you have a helper. If I am preparing sandwiches for a large number of people, I make the sandwiches a day ahead and refrigerate them overnight in large plastic containers. If you make them a few hours ahead of serving they can also be stored this way, or stack them on a tray, and drape a damp paper towel or a clean damp tea towel over the top, followed by a sheet of plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Here are some of my favorite tea sandwiches. Be sure the bread is thin and the filling is spread with a light hand. Arrange the sandwiches on a silver tray or platter for an elegant presentation.
Smoked Turkey Sandwiches
Makes about 48 small sandwiches
1
1
/
2
pounds skinless hickory-smoked turkey breast, cut into chunks
6 scallions, both green and white parts
About
1
/
2
cup mayonnaise, just enough to bind
Salt and black pepper
2 loaves bread machine bread, thinly sliced (about 24 slices)
Place the turkey and scallions in the food processor and coarsely grind. Add the mayonnaise and pulse to make a spreadable paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the turkey mixture on half of the bread slices. Cover with the remaining slices. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.
Cucumber and Watercress Sandwiches
Makes about 32 small sandwiches
1 bunch watercress, bottom of stems removed, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
About
1
/
2
cup mayonnaise, just enough to bind
Grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 long English hothouse cucumber, sliced
1
1
/
2
loaves bread machine bread, thinly sliced (about 16 slices)
Season the watercress with salt and pepper to taste. Using a food processor, an electric mixer, or by hand, cream the butter and add the mayonnaise and lemon zest. Spread the mayonnaise butter on all the bread slices, sprinkle half of them with watercress, and cover the watercress with some cucumber slices. Cover with the remaining slices of bread. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.
Avocado and Bacon Sandwiches
Makes about 48 small sandwiches
1
1
/
2
tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
About
2
/
3
cup mayonnaise, just enough to bind
3
/
4
teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Splash of hot red pepper sauce
2 firm-ripe avocados, peeled and halved
2 loaves bread machine bread, thinly sliced (about 24 slices)
8 slices bacon, cooked in a skillet until golden brown, drained on paper towels, and crumbled
Cream the butter and add the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce. Spread the mayonnaise butter lightly on half of the bread slices. Slice the avocado halves and place a few slices on each piece of buttered bread before sprinkling with the bacon. Cover with the remaining bread slices. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.
Herb Butter Sandwiches
Makes about 48 small sandwiches
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only
1
/
4
cup chopped chives
1
/
4
cup mixed fresh aromatic herbs, such as marjoram, savory, and tarragon
3
/
4
cup (1
1
/
2
sticks) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 loaves bread machine bread, thinly sliced (about 24 slices)
Combine the parsley, basil, chives, and mixed herbs in the food processor and pulse to chop. Add the butter, cream cheese, and goat cheese, and pulse to make a spreadable paste. Spread the cheese mixture on half of the bread slices. Cover with the remaining slices. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.
Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
Makes about 32 small sandwiches
1
/
2
pound thinly sliced smoked salmon
1 pound cream cheese, softened
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
8 paper-thin slices of red onion
1
1
/
2
loaves bread machine bread, thinly sliced (about 16 slices)
Place the smoked salmon in the food processor and pulse to chop. Add the cream cheese, lemon juice, and dill, and pulse to make a spreadable paste. Spread the cheese mixture on half of the bread slices, and top with a slice of red onion. Cover with the remaining slices. Trim the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 squares or cut out shapes.
Appendix 2
TO EAT WITH YOUR BREAD
Spreads, Butters, Cheeses, and Vegetables
Whipped Honey Butter
Strawberry Butter
Marmalade Butter
Red Pepper Butter
Provençal Butter
Spiced Vanilla Honey
Sweet Herb Honey
Lemon Curd with Fresh Mint
Raspberry Cream Cheese
Pasqua Cheese
Cinnamon Date Cheese
Goat Cheese Butter
Savory Appetizer Cheesecake
Molded Egg Salad with Lemon Mustard Mayonnaise
Italian Tuna Pâté
Mushroom Pâté
Cannellini Bean Spread
Hummus
Roasted Eggplant Dip
Hot Artichoke Dip
Marinated Fresh Vegetables
Lolly’s Roasted Red Peppers
Basil-Baked Tomatoes
Marinated Olives with Herbs and Sun-dried Tomatoes
T
here are just certain types of foods that go perfectly with bread. There is the quintessential bread with butter. Butter is also able to soak up other flavors without their masking its luscious presence—it takes well to honey, fruit, olives, or herbs. Then there is the classic pairing of bread and cheese. The starch in the bread soaks up the excess fat in the cheese, making for a perfect balance. We all have our favorite dip. Dips are great for casual entertaining; in most cases they can, and should, be made a day ahead—giving their flavors a chance to meld. Paired with homemade flatbreads or crisps, dips are at their best. Bread is also good with olives, acting as a foil to their pungent flavor and saltiness. Beyond these, there are a host of bread accompaniments, like roasted vegetables and spreads made of beans or meat, that make bread something special.
In this section, you will find recipes for bread accompaniments that are simple enough for everyday eating and ones to serve to company. There are sweet and savory honeys, butters, cheese spreads, molded cheeses, and fruit curd, something to showcase every type of bread and accompany every occasion.
Makes about 1 cup
Whipped honey butter is good served with all kinds of white and wheat toast.
1
/
2
cup mild honey
3
/
4
cup (1
1
/
2
sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
In a food processor, process the honey until it is smooth and light, no more than 1 minute, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the workbowl. Cut the butter into pieces, and add it to the work-bowl, dropping it in on top of the honey. Process until light in color, about 30 seconds. Scrape the honey butter into a covered container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. For the best flavor, let stand for l hour at room temperature before serving.