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Recipes
Cooking with me by:
Salvatore Vergone
TOASTED SMOKED-BUFFALO MOZZARELLA AND RADICCHIO SANDWICHES
Can be Prepared in 45 minutes or less. * Serves 6 as a first course or light lunch. Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil * 1/2 pound radicchio, chopped
(about 4 cups) * 1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar * 2 tablespoons finely chopped
parsley leaves * six, 1/2-inch-thick slices country or Italian bread, each about 3 to 4
inches long * 1 garlic clove, halved crosswise * about 6 ounces smoked buffalo mozzarella
cheese, cut into thin slices. METHOD: In a heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot
but not smoking and sauté radicchio with vinegar, stirring, until wilted and
tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season radicchio with salt and pepper and stir in
parsley. Remove skillet from heat. Preheat broiler. On a baking sheet toast both sides of
bread about 3 inches from heat until golden. Rub one side of each toast with garlic and
season with salt. Divide radicchio among toasts, spreading evenly, and cover radicchio
with mozzarella. Broil toasts until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. |
MOZZARELLA IN
CARROZZA
Ingredients: 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons milk *
1/2 cup toasted fresh bread crumbs * eight 1/4-inch-thick slices of Italian bread * 1 3/4
teaspoons anchovy paste, or to taste * 1/4 pound whole-milk buffalo mozzarella * cut into
four 1/4-inch-thick slices * 2 tablespoons olive oil * 1 tablespoon unsalted butter * 1
tablespoon fresh lemon juice * 1 plum tomato, seeded and minced * 1/4 teaspoon drained
bottled green peppercorns (available at specialty food shops), and finely chopped fresh
parsley leaves for garnish. METHOD: In a bowl
whisk together the egg and the milk and transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Put the
bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Spread the bread slices with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the
anchovy paste, put 1 slice of the buffalo mozzarella on each of 4 bread slices and top the
mozzarella with the remaining bread slices, forming sandwiches. Working with 1 sandwich at
a time, dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, and coat
them with the bread crumbs. In a large heavy skillet heat the oil and the butter over
moderately high heat until the fat is hot but not smoking and in the fat sauté the
sandwiches, turning them and gently flattening them with a spatula, for 6 minutes, or
until the mozzarella is melted and the bread is golden. Divide the sandwiches between 2
heated plates and keep them warm. To the skillet add the lemon juice, the tomato, the
green peppercorns, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste, and salt and black pepper to
taste and cook the mixture over high heat, whisking, until it is heated through. Spoon the
sauce over the sandwiches and sprinkle the sandwiches with the parsley. Serves 2 as a
first course |
Smoked Buffalo
Mozzarella and Roasted Pepper with Olive Dressing on Italian Bread
Ingredients: 4 Kalamata or other brine-cured
black olives, pitted * 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice * 1/4 cup olive oil * 1/2 garlic
clove, or to taste * 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste * four 4-inch lengths of Italian
bread, halved horizontally * 1 large yellow or red bell pepper, roasted and quartered *
1/2 pound smoked buffalo mozzarella, sliced thin * 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
leaves. METHOD: In a blender blend the olives, the lemon juice, the oil, the garlic, and the
cayenne until the mixture is smooth and brush the cut sides of the bread with the olive
dressing. Divide the roasted pepper, the mozzarella, and the basil among the bottom halves
of the bread and cover the sandwiches with the top halves of the bread, pressing them
firmly. Makes 4 sandwiches |
SHRIMP CREOLE AND BUFFALO MOZZARELLA PIZZAS
Makes one 14-inch pizza, serving 4 as an entrée Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped * 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
* 1 celery rib, chopped * 1 large garlic clove, minced * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil * 1
14- to 16-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes including their juice, chopped * 1/4 teaspoon
dried thyme, crumbled cayenne to taste * 1 pound small shrimp (about 48), shelled and
deveined yellow cornmeal for sprinkling pan * 1/4 pound buffalo mozzarella cheese*, diced
(about 1 cup) *Available at specialty foods shops. For the dough: 1/2
teaspoon sugar * 2/3 cup warm water (110°F.-115°F.) * a 1/4-ounce package (2 1/2
teaspoons) active dry yeast * 2 to 2 1/4 cups unbleached flour * 1/2 teaspoon salt * olive
oil for oiling bowl. Make the dough: METHOD: In a large
bowl dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand until foamy, about 5
minutes. Stir in 2 cups flour and salt and blend mixture until it forms a dough. Knead
dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary
to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively,
dough may be made in a food processor. Proof yeast as described above. In the food
processor process yeast mixture with 2 cups flour and salt until mixture forms a ball,
adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if too dry or some of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1
tablespoon at a time, if too wet, and knead dough by processing it 15 seconds more.) Put
dough, prepared by either method, in a deep oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let
dough rise, covered with plastic wrap in a warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk,
and punch down. Dough is now ready to be formed into pizza. Make the pizza: In a
medium heavy saucepan cook onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic in oil, covered, over
moderately low heat, stirring, until celery is softened, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes
and juice, thyme, and cayenne and simmer, uncovered, stirring, until mixture is very
thick, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and
chilled, covered. Stir in shrimp and cook sauce, stirring, until shrimp are cooked
through, the liquid they give off is evaporated, and the sauce is thickened. Preheat oven
to 500°F. Sprinkle cornmeal on an oiled 14-inch black steel pizza pan or black steel
baking sheet. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14-inch round and fit
into pan. Sprinkle dough with half of buffalo mozzarella and top with shrimp Creole,
spreading mixture evenly, and remaining cheese. Bake pizza in lower third of an electric
oven or on floor of a gas oven 10 minutes, or until crust is golden. |
ROASTED TOMATO, EGGPLANT, AND BUFFALO MOZZARELLA
PIZZAS
Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant (about 1 1/2
pounds), cut crosswise into 2 pieces * 3/4 pound plum tomatoes, halved * 2 teaspoons
red-wine vinegar * 1/4 teaspoon sugar * 4 teaspoons yellow cornmeal * 1/2 cup fresh basil
leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped coarse
1/4 pound buffalo mozzarella, diced coarse (about 1 cup) For pizza dough: 3/4
cup warm water (110° -115°F.) plus additional tablespoon if necessary * a 1/4-ounce
package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast * 2 cups all-purpose flour * 1 1/2 teaspoons
salt
Make pizza dough: METHOD: In a large bowl stir together water and yeast and let stand
until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and salt and blend until mixture forms a
dough, adding additional tablespoon water if too dry. On a lightly floured surface knead
dough about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. (Alternatively, dough may be made in
a standing electric mixer, In a bowl of mixer make dough as described above. With dough
hook knead dough about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.) Put dough in a very
lightly oiled deep bowl, turning to coat, and let rise, covered loosely, in a warm place 1
1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk. punch down dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Dough
keeps, each piece put in a small, sealable plastic bag and sealed, pressing out excess
air, chilled overnight or frozen 2 weeks.If dough is frozen, thaw overnight in
refrigerator before using. Makes enough dough for four 12- by 6-inch oval pizzas. Make
the pizza: Preheat oven to 450°F. and very lightly grease a large baking sheet. Cut
smaller eggplant piece into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Spread eggplant slices in one layer on
half of baking sheet and season with salt. Put remaining eggplant piece and all but 2
tomato halves on second half of baking sheet. Roast vegetables in middle of oven 15
minutes, or until eggplant slices are tender, and transfer eggplant slices to a plate.
Roast remaining vegetables 15 minutes more, or until eggplant piece is very tender. Remove
baking sheet from oven and cool vegetables slightly. Scoop out flesh from eggplant piece
into a food processor and purée with roasted tomatoes, unroasted tomato, vinegar, sugar,
and salt to taste. Sauce and sliced eggplant may be made 1 day ahead and kept separately,
covered and chilled. On a work surface sprinkled with 1 teaspoon cornmeal roll out 1 piece
of dough into a 12- by 6-inch oval and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining
cornmeal and dough, ending up with 2 ovals on each of 2 baking sheets. Increase
temperature to 500°F. Spread sauce on dough ovals, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge
of each pizza. Arrange eggplant slices on sauce and sprinkle pizzas with basil and buffalo
mozzarella. Bake pizzas in lower and middle thirds of oven 15 minutes, or until crusts are
crisp and pale golden. Dough: each serving about: 244 calories, .7 grams fat (2% of
calories from fat). Pizza: each serving about: 404 calories, 8 grams fat (18% of calories
from fat). Serves 4 |
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