Summer Bicknell of Durham's beloved Locopops will be guest chef on Saturday, August 21st, for the final Durham Home Fries Cookin' Class of the summer! She'll be making good, old-fashioned local peach ice cream with peaches from the market's new peach vendor, Kalawi Farms!
Class starts at 9:30 sharp, so please arrive by 9:20 to sign in and wash up. The class will be held under the large tent on the central lawn, adjacent to the Durham Central Park Pavilion.
Kids of all ages will be welcome for this one, but class size is limited to 20 participants.
If you would like to attend the Home Fries Cookin' Class, please notify Dolly Marcarelli at info@dollymamachocolate.com.
Artisan chocolatier in Durham, North Carolina.
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Thursday, August 5, 2010
Peter Reinhart's Napoletano Pizza Dough Recipe
4 1/2 cups (20.25 ounces) unbleached high-gluten, bread, or all-purpose flour, chilled
1 3/4 (.44 ounce) teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40°F)
Semolina flour OR cornmeal for dusting
1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). With a large metal spoon, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment), If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a tea- spoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55F.
2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas), You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it, Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag.
3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)
4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Before letting the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours, dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Now let rest for 2 hours.
5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.
6. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss as shown on page 208. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.
7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other top- pings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American "kitchen sink" approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient.
8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.
9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.
Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.
1 3/4 (.44 ounce) teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40°F)
Semolina flour OR cornmeal for dusting
1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). With a large metal spoon, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment), If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a tea- spoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55F.
2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas), You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it, Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag.
3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)
4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Before letting the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours, dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Now let rest for 2 hours.
5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.
6. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss as shown on page 208. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.
7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other top- pings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American "kitchen sink" approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient.
8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.
9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.
Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Grilled Pizza & Panzanella Salad with Chef Aaron Vandemark of Hillsborough's Pancuito
Aaron Vandemark, chef & owner of Pancuito in Hillsborough led the Home Fries Class on Saturday, July 17th.
Aaron gave the kids a list of ingredients and they went shopping, along with Shanna Bierman, for farm-fresh produce, herbs & cheese. When they returned, the chef showed everyone how to wash the produce, and then the Fries were assigned different kitchen tasks: slicing, grating and chopping.
For the Panzanella Salad, Aaron & the Fries first grilled focaccia bread dough, cut it into bit-sized pieces and combined it with smoked mozarella, sungold tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and red onion vinaigrette.
For the pizza, Aaron and the kids made a batch of dough in the stand mixer. It's really important when you make pizza dough to be sure to knead it or work it with the bread hook for 8 to 10 minutes. Kneading works the gluten proteins in the dough and acts as a binding agent to hold the dough together. Another reason to knead the dough is to create air pockets or bubbles inside the dough that allow the formation of carbon dioxide bubbles as the dough rises. These pockets give the dough a texture that is light and airy.
Once the dough was made, Aaron brought out a dough he had made the day before, so that it had been given a chance to rise and rest. The Fries portioned the dough out into individual pizzas and rolled them out. Each pizza was topped with whatever sounded good...there was a breakfast pizza with a local egg, arugula pizza with smoked mozzarella and even a chocolate pizza! The fun thing about pizza is that you can put anything on it that sounds good! Your imagination is the limit!
It was a delicious day at the Durham Farmers' Market!
A big thank you goes out to Chef Aaron Vandemark of Pancuito Restaurant in Hillsborough! We really appreciate that he took time out of his busy schedule to come over and teach the Home Fries Cookin' Class!
To learn more about Chef Aaron's restaurant, go to www.pancuito.com.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Home Fries Cooking Class Recipes 6/19/10
Basic Tomato Sauce
2 pounds fresh, sweet, mature vine-ripened tomatoes
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
freshly milled black pepper to taste
Directions
Cut out the tough area around the core of each tomato and cut the tomatoes into quarters lengthwise. Using your fingers, push out the excess seeds. Chop the tomatoes coarsely or cut them into fine dice. Place the tomatoes in the bowl in which you will serve the pasta.
Add the oil, basil, salt, and pepper to the tomatoes and stir to mix well. Allow the sauce to stand at room temperature while the pasta cooks.
Pasta Dough
1 C. Semolina
1 C. Durum Flour
2 each Eggs
1 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Water as needed
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and form a well in the center. Place eggs in the center and slowly stir to bring together. Use water if dough is dry. Once combined need by hand. Let rest for ½ hour. Roll to desired pasta shape.
Justin Rakes
Four Square Restaurant
foursquaredurham.blogspot.com
2 pounds fresh, sweet, mature vine-ripened tomatoes
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
freshly milled black pepper to taste
Directions
Cut out the tough area around the core of each tomato and cut the tomatoes into quarters lengthwise. Using your fingers, push out the excess seeds. Chop the tomatoes coarsely or cut them into fine dice. Place the tomatoes in the bowl in which you will serve the pasta.
Add the oil, basil, salt, and pepper to the tomatoes and stir to mix well. Allow the sauce to stand at room temperature while the pasta cooks.
Pasta Dough
1 C. Semolina
1 C. Durum Flour
2 each Eggs
1 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Water as needed
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and form a well in the center. Place eggs in the center and slowly stir to bring together. Use water if dough is dry. Once combined need by hand. Let rest for ½ hour. Roll to desired pasta shape.
Justin Rakes
Four Square Restaurant
foursquaredurham.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Fresh Pasta, Fresh Tomato Sauce & Making Soup from the Leftovers
On Saturday June 18th, I was really excited. I was starting the second Home Fries cooking class.
The chef for the class was Justin Rakes, the chef at Durham’s Four Square. Today’s lesson was making pasta and tomato sauce and using leftovers.
We washed our hands, wrote our names on our cups and utensils, and each got our own recipe instructions. Then we started making pasta. The first step was learning the ingredients. Next was mixing flour and salt – we made a well of the dry ingredients and then cracked the egg in. The egg we used had a double yolk! We found out that the pasta we made needed to rest, then “magically” we had more pasta dough that was rested and ready to go. We all got a turn to roll out the pasta in the pasta machine, which I thought was one of the most fun parts. Then we split into two groups, one group started making tomato sauce, the other group cut pasta. We cut out noodles and little pasta called Orecchiette, in English that means “little ear”. We boiled the pasta, which we learned cooks faster than dry pasta and cooked the tomato sauce. We learned that if you make an X in the skin on the tomatoes then boil them for 10 seconds that the skins are easy to take off.
We ate our work and then we took the left over tomato sauce – put cream in it, took a hand mixer & blended it up… and then had Creamy Tomato Soup with toast and goat cheese. After we finished eating and cleaning up we got to check out some cookbooks that we could keep until our next lesson. I got out a book called, “Anyone Can Cook.” I had a lot of fun learning how to make pasta; I can’t wait to make it at home!
Contributed by Cordelia
A big thank you from the Durham Home Fries Cookin' Team to Chefs Justin Rakes & Scott Martin of Four Square Restaurant in Durham! www.foursquarerestaurant.com
Friday, June 11, 2010
Join Chef Justin Rakes of Durham's Four Square Restaurant on June 19th at the Durham Farmers' Market.
Chef Rakes will take the Home Fries to Brinkley Farm's produce stand, introduce them to the farmers, and show them how to pick out a good vegetable. Then, he and Sous-Chef Scott Martin will show the Fries how to choose the right knives for the job at hand, make a fresh pasta with tomato sauce and lastly, he'll show the kids how to make something new out of yesterday's dinner!
I've heard a rumor that he's also going to do a drawing to give-away a pasta machine!!
This one is going to be a lot of fun with many new skills to learn!
Class starts at 9:30 sharp. Saturday's class still has seven spaces available for kids aged 9-13 who want to learn how to cook with the pros!
See you on the 19th!
Check out Chef Justin Rakes and his restaurant at www.foursquarerestaurant.com.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Seth & Craig's Home Fries Recipes - May 15, 2010
Appetizer Course: Cheese Spread
Goals: Learn to use a food processor, learn mincing herbs
Serves: 4 adults or 6 kids
Ingredients:
4 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. fresh local goat cheese
1/2 fresh lemon
1-2 ounces milk or heavy cream
1 T. finely chopped herbs such as rosemary, oregano, tarragon, thyme
Pinch Kosher Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
1 scallion, finely chopped
20 large croutons
Olive oil
Procedure: Blend cheeses, lemon juice and herbs with salt & pepper in a food processor until smooth. Add a touch of milk or heavy cream to help get the blade spinning. Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with scallions and serve with toasted bread croutons brushed with olive oil.
Salad Course
Goals: Leran to use an imersion blender; learn the vinaigrette ratio; learn to wash lettuce; how to dress a salad.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Olive Oil (2/3 cup)
1 oz. Vinegar (1/3 cup)
1 T. Herbs
Pinch Kosher Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
Procedure: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, blend until smooth and creamy. Use just enough dressing to coat lettuce in a mixing bowl. Save remaining dressing in refrigerator for another day.
Entree Course: Quesadillas
Goals: Learn to use a chef's knife; learn to saute
Serves: 1 adult or 2 kids
Ingredients:
2 whole wheat flour tortillas
Olive oil
diced fresh vegetables such as
garlic
onion
scallion
zucchini
yellow squash
tomatoes
eggplant
Monterey Jack Cheese
Procedure: Dice vegetables evenly sized and saute until tender with olive oil, salt and pepper in a saute pan. Heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees. Brush the griddle with olive oil, then place one tortilla on griddle, cover tortilla with a small handful of cheese, then top with a second handful of cheese and place second tortilla on top. When bottom tortilla is golden, flip the quesadilla over with a little more olive oil until second side is golden. Remove from griddle and cut on cutting board like pizza and serve.
Goals: Learn to use a food processor, learn mincing herbs
Serves: 4 adults or 6 kids
Ingredients:
4 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. fresh local goat cheese
1/2 fresh lemon
1-2 ounces milk or heavy cream
1 T. finely chopped herbs such as rosemary, oregano, tarragon, thyme
Pinch Kosher Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
1 scallion, finely chopped
20 large croutons
Olive oil
Procedure: Blend cheeses, lemon juice and herbs with salt & pepper in a food processor until smooth. Add a touch of milk or heavy cream to help get the blade spinning. Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with scallions and serve with toasted bread croutons brushed with olive oil.
Salad Course
Goals: Leran to use an imersion blender; learn the vinaigrette ratio; learn to wash lettuce; how to dress a salad.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Olive Oil (2/3 cup)
1 oz. Vinegar (1/3 cup)
1 T. Herbs
Pinch Kosher Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
Procedure: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, blend until smooth and creamy. Use just enough dressing to coat lettuce in a mixing bowl. Save remaining dressing in refrigerator for another day.
Entree Course: Quesadillas
Goals: Learn to use a chef's knife; learn to saute
Serves: 1 adult or 2 kids
Ingredients:
2 whole wheat flour tortillas
Olive oil
diced fresh vegetables such as
garlic
onion
scallion
zucchini
yellow squash
tomatoes
eggplant
Monterey Jack Cheese
Procedure: Dice vegetables evenly sized and saute until tender with olive oil, salt and pepper in a saute pan. Heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees. Brush the griddle with olive oil, then place one tortilla on griddle, cover tortilla with a small handful of cheese, then top with a second handful of cheese and place second tortilla on top. When bottom tortilla is golden, flip the quesadilla over with a little more olive oil until second side is golden. Remove from griddle and cut on cutting board like pizza and serve.
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