Serves 6 to 8.
Thawing the frozen puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight will help prevent cracking while unfolding it. Be sure to use a low-moisture supermarket mozzarella sold in block form, not fresh water-packed mozzarella. If you prefer to do some advanced preparation, the tart shell can be prebaked through step 1, cooled to room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, and kept at room temperature for up to two days before being topped and baked with the mozzarella and tomatoes.
Ingredients
unbleached all-purpose flour for work surface
1 box frozen puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm, 1.1 pound), thawed in box in refigerator overnight
1 large egg , beaten
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 pound plum tomatoes (about 3 to 4 medium), cored and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
table salt
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper
8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese , shredded (2 cups)
2 ounces prosciutto , thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Dust work surface with flour and unfold both pieces puff pastry onto work surface. Following the steps* below, form 1 large sheet with border, using beaten egg as directed. Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over shell; using fork, uniformly and thoroughly poke holes in shell. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; continue to bake until golden brown and crisp, 13 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer to wire rack; increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
2. While shell bakes, place tomato slices in single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes. Combine garlic, olive oil, and pinch each salt and pepper in small bowl; set aside.
3. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over warm (or cool, if made ahead) baked shell. Arrange prosciutto in single layer on top of mozzarella. Shingle tomato slices widthwise on top of prosciutto (about 4 slices per row); brush tomatoes with garlic oil. Bake until shell is deep golden brown and cheese is melted, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes, sprinkle with basil, slide onto cutting board or serving platter, cut into pieces, and serve.
*Steps for Puff Pastry
1. Brush egg along one edge of one sheet of puff pastry. Overlap with second sheet of dough by 1 inch and press to seal pieces together.
2. With rolling pin, smooth out seam. Dough should measure about 18 by 9 inches. Use pizza wheel or knife to trim edges straight.
3. With pizza wheel or knife, cut 1-inch strip from long side of dough. Cut another 1-inch strip from same side.
4. Cut 1-inch strip from short side of dough. Cut another 1-inch strip from same side. Transfer pieces of dough to parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with egg.
5. Gently press long strips of dough onto each long edge of dough and brush with egg. Gently press short strips of dough onto each short edge and brush with egg.
6. With pizza wheel or knife, trim excess dough from corners.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Shrimp Ceviche
1 pound cooked and peeled shrimp, but into 1/2 inch pieces or smaller
1 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 medium white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1-2 jalapenos or 2-3 serranos, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped pitted green manzanillo olives
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
Salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, peeled pitted and diced
Tostadas or tortilla chips
Put chopped shrimp into a bowl with the lime juice and marinate for about 4 hours. Then drain off the lime juice. (You can make this with fish and cook it in the lime juice).
In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, green chiles, cilantro, olives and optional olive oil. Stir in the shrimp, then taste and season with salt, usually about 2/4 teaspoon, and the sugar. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.
Serve with tostadas and tortilla chips.
1 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 medium white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1-2 jalapenos or 2-3 serranos, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped pitted green manzanillo olives
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
Salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, peeled pitted and diced
Tostadas or tortilla chips
Put chopped shrimp into a bowl with the lime juice and marinate for about 4 hours. Then drain off the lime juice. (You can make this with fish and cook it in the lime juice).
In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, green chiles, cilantro, olives and optional olive oil. Stir in the shrimp, then taste and season with salt, usually about 2/4 teaspoon, and the sugar. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.
Serve with tostadas and tortilla chips.
Frittata Bites
Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 12-ounce bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
8 ounces mild Italian sausages, casings removed, sausage broken into 1-inch pieces
8 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup diced tomato
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 41/2 ounces)
Fresh Italian parsley leaves
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add Swiss chard and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain. Finely chop chard, then place in kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Set chard aside.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to skillet and sauté until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until brown and cooked through, breaking up with fork, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Whisk eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add chard, tomato's and cooled sausage mixture, then feta; stir to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
Bake frittata until set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer baking dish to rack and cool frittata 15 to 20 minutes. Place platter atop dish with frittata. Using oven mitts, hold baking dish and platter firmly together and invert frittata onto platter; place another platter atop frittata and invert again so that frittata is right side up. Cut frittata into 20 pieces. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Place frittata pieces on rimmed baking sheet. Cover and chill. Rewarm in 325°F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.
Transfer frittata pieces to platter. Garnish each piece with parsley; serve warm or at room temperature.
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 12-ounce bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
8 ounces mild Italian sausages, casings removed, sausage broken into 1-inch pieces
8 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup diced tomato
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 41/2 ounces)
Fresh Italian parsley leaves
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add Swiss chard and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain. Finely chop chard, then place in kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Set chard aside.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to skillet and sauté until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until brown and cooked through, breaking up with fork, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Whisk eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add chard, tomato's and cooled sausage mixture, then feta; stir to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
Bake frittata until set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer baking dish to rack and cool frittata 15 to 20 minutes. Place platter atop dish with frittata. Using oven mitts, hold baking dish and platter firmly together and invert frittata onto platter; place another platter atop frittata and invert again so that frittata is right side up. Cut frittata into 20 pieces. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Place frittata pieces on rimmed baking sheet. Cover and chill. Rewarm in 325°F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.
Transfer frittata pieces to platter. Garnish each piece with parsley; serve warm or at room temperature.
Cinnamon Dusted Churro's
Ingredients
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
6 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
Preparation
Whisk eggs, egg yolk, 6 tablespoons sugar, orange juice, orange peel, vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir in flour. Mix 1 cup sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon in medium bowl.
Pour enough oil into heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 1 inch. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan and heat oil to 355°F to 360°F over medium-high heat. Spoon batter into pastry bag fitted with 3/8-inch (medium) star tip. Working in batches, pipe several 3- to 4-inch-long ribbons of batter into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turning occasionally and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Working in batches, add warm churros to bowl of cinnamon sugar and toss to coat.
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
6 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
Preparation
Whisk eggs, egg yolk, 6 tablespoons sugar, orange juice, orange peel, vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir in flour. Mix 1 cup sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon in medium bowl.
Pour enough oil into heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 1 inch. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan and heat oil to 355°F to 360°F over medium-high heat. Spoon batter into pastry bag fitted with 3/8-inch (medium) star tip. Working in batches, pipe several 3- to 4-inch-long ribbons of batter into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turning occasionally and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Working in batches, add warm churros to bowl of cinnamon sugar and toss to coat.
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