happy 4th of july

a happy RED (WHITE) & BLUE to all my american readers :)

couldn't resist posting this one —
nothing says america like twinkies, LOL (yuck).

fresh pasta three ways

pasta (or paste if you want to be more correct) is always much better when freshly made at home. while it does take effort on your part to make the dough and form it into various shapes, the advantage is that it can be done in large batches and frozen for up to several months. cooked either fresh or from its frozen state, it is ready in 3 minutes or less — much faster than using the dried variety (and much better!).

having a pasta machine makes the work much easier, especially if you are making a lot of it. it is not essential however as it can be rolled out by hand. be prepared for a workout though! you'll need to roll out your dough to a minimum of an 1/8th of an inch and thinner if you can do it. much of the process of hand rolling relies on having a very well rested dough so the gluten relaxes and is more amenable to being coaxed to stretch to its maximum length and width.

plain pasta is always good however to add some extra nutrients and colour, i'm showing how to do it with spinach and with tomato. if you're eager enough, you can even make all three kinds and serve it "tricolore" style, a tribute to its home country — italy. it looks quite nice on an oblong plate in separate piles of green, white (errr...yellow), and red.

buon appetito!



fresh spinach pasta

makes 1 pound (454 gr) - increase as necessary (below)

ingredients:

2 c all purpose flour (10 oz) + 1/2 c durum semolina pasta flour OR,
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt

3 large eggs
water as needed (only if necessary)

1/2 lb (250 gr) fresh spinach or 1/4 lb frozen (125 gr)

method:

bring 4 c water to boil and add some salt (not the one from recipe!).

cook freshly chopped (or frozen) spinach in boiling and salted water until cooked. fresh spinach will take very little time.

drain the spinach and rinse it under cold water. squeeze it until almost all moisture is gone. this is very important as you don't want excess water. also, use a FINE meshed colander or you will loose parts of your spinach.

chop the spinach very, very finely or do it in a food processor, pulsing as you do it. you don't want a purée.

set this aside.

mix the dry ingredients together in a large wide bowl. if you don't have one, you can do this on the counter. you can also do this in a large food processor if you aren't comfortable or don't have the strength or ambition to do it by hand.

make your fontana by pushing the flour from the middle to the sides. make sure you have a strong wall which is high enough so that the liquid ingredients do not spill over. add the eggs to the middle space. with a fork, your fingers or chop sticks, mix the eggs to scramble them.

add the chopped spinach to the eggs now.

mix the eggs and spinach together and start to bring in the flour slowly from the INNER sides of the ridge of flour to slowly form a dough mass. this will take a little time. it will also get a bit more difficult as more flour is absorbed. continue until you can no longer add more flour. remember to try to conserve the wall until as late as possible in the process.

if you need extra water to make a smooth dough, add it now in very small amounts until the dough is formed.

now the hard part if doing this by hand — the kneading. knead the pasta dough for a good 4 to 5 minutes to make sure all is incorporated and the spinach is well distributed. you will see little flecks of green and white most likely. if there are large patches of white, then you haven't kneaded enough. these little spots will disappear as you roll out the dough and cook it.

let the dough rest for a minimum of 2 hours, covered.

cut the ball into 4 separate pieces and do not reroll it. this will make it elastic.

take one ball and roll it out very thinly and cut into desired shapes.

if you have a pasta machine, you need to extend the dough several times first, following the instructions of your machine.

cut the extended dough with the attachment you prefer.

if doing this by hand, have a large well flour surface and roll out your piece very, very thinly as much as you can. make sure that it does not stick to the board or counter, reflouring as needed.

flour both sides again (with a thin dusting) and roll up loosely and cut into strips. if you don't flour, they'll stick together and you'll have a disaster. loosen up (detangle them afterwards) the pasta and let your pasta sit a few minutes to dry out a bit.

i always reflour the cut noodles (place in a bowl with flour and gently toss them to distribute the flour and noodles.

put them in ziplocs in the portions needed. all that is necessary to cook them is to boil the water and put the pasta directly into the water, frozen. it will cook in under 3 minutes usually.

* * * * * * * *

regular (plain) pasta dough

ingredients:

2 c all purpose flour (+ extra as needed)
1 t salt
1 t olive oil
3 eggs
water if needed

method:

follow procedure above.

* * * * * * * *

tomato & cracked black pepper pasta dough

ingredients:

2 c all purpose flour + extra as needed
1 t salt
1 1/2 - 3 tsp CRACKED black pepper* OR coarsely ground
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil or 1 tbsp dried (optional)
1 t olive oil
3 - 4 tbsp good quality tomato paste
3 eggs

water if needed

*place whole peppercorns in a paper bag and crack/crush them with a rolling pin. don't add finely ground pepper, it's not the same thing and inappropriate for this recipe. i didn't have whole peppercorns at the time so used coarsely ground in the photos below. use the amount of pepper at your discretion.

method:

follow procedure above and add the tomato paste in place of the spinach.

i use some pasta flour also and like to mix the eggs and tomato paste separately and then add it to the fontana — either way works.

the finished product :)

enjoy!

using your lavosh for sandwiches

a few weeks ago, i posted a recipe for lavosh, the commonly used bread of the (eastern) mediterranean region. the advantage of this type of bread over, say, pita, is that it can be made, left to dry out completely and stored for a very long time with the intention of using it later for sandwiches.

the difference between the two is that the standard pita, unless you're buying the gigantic ones, is much smaller and pita cannot be dried out and rehydrated for later use. another difference is that lavosh does not have an interior pocket and is much thinner and delicate. it is used the same way one would a flour tortilla (i.e. rolled). the rehydrated lavosh are also softer in texture than pita.

as a note, i much prefer to dry them out and use them reconstituted as opposed to eating them fresh after they come out of the oven — well, at least just on their own without filling them, that is.

if you do try them, you'll decide for yourself how you like them.

onwards.....

to use your dried lavosh breads:

the best way, i have found for the recipe i posted is to —

1. take paper towels and wet them and wring them so they are moist but not dripping wet;

2. take the whole lavosh, and holding it carefully, run it under the tap water for about 10 seconds making sure all of it gets wet. shake it a bit and let the excess water drip off of it;

3. wrap the lavosh with the paper towels and then carefully put it in a clean plastic bag and lay it flat somewhere undisturbed for a minimum of two hours.

through experience, i've noted that the optimal way is to use a top layer of paper towel and a bottom one so when you make the sandwiches, all you have to do is remove the top towel, making it less likely that you'll get too many rips or tears.


4. for it to soften up, it all depends upon how quickly the water is absorbed by the bread. this make take up to 4 or 5 hours depending on the weather and other conditions;

start to check it after two hours. if it is flexible and soft all over it is ready. don't attempt to use it if there are still any hard spots.

5. don't be alarmed if it tears a bit here and there; that shouldn't make much of a big deal. these usually occur around the edges as seen in the picture above. the surface is large enough that, when rolled up, any small tears will be reinforced.

* * * * * *

making lavosh wraps/sandwiches:

makes 1 large sandwich (enough for 1 or 2 people) / per each lavosh

ingredients:

lavosh bread

use your favourite fillings —

examples:

*grilled vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, red and green peppers)
*wild greens (mâche, arugula, etc) or shredded lettuce
*tuna or salmon
*hardboiled eggs or egg salad
*cheeses
*sliced tomatoes
*capers or sliced olives
*herbs: parsley, mint, dill, etc.

salt & pepper (don't omit!)

mayonnaise or thoum (optional)
red pepper paste or harissa (optional)

method:

remove the paper towel carefully (important: i usually just remove the top part to expose it and leave the bottom in place to avoid any possible tearing).

take olive oil and cover the surface of the lavosh (usually about 2 tbsp). you can also take red pepper paste and smear it on instead but be careful if it is very spicy as too much is not a good thing.

place the filling ingredients on the lavosh in the middle of the bread, leaving a border (where you will be folding things). here i used tuna, eggs, tomatoes, capers, etc...

fold the sides over first.

then fold up the bottom (here it looks like the sides!)

.... and then roll it all fairly tightly.

you can now either cut it in half and eat it as is or, as i like to do, wrap it in wax paper and then cut it. it should be fine either way depending on how well you rolled it.

remember the first one you make may not be perfect. try again until you get it the way you like. these make great sandwiches to take to work or for quick lunches or suppers, especially in the hot summers.

enjoy!

blogworks

to those of you who view what i post to my blog via one feed or another (aggregate reader), take note that over the next while, i will be fixing dead links and editing.

not to get you confused, look at the original date of the posting — if it is not the current date, it's (obviously!) an old one. you can either reread it or disregard the entire thing.

reruns no. 2 — lebanese garlic (mayo) sauce

in following with the theme of revisited recipes, this one is for the popular and much sought after sauce, or condiment, which goes by its arabic name thoum. thoum is really just the word for garlic however. considering the amount of 'hits' my blog gets for it regularly, since the time i originally posted that recipe, i figured it is time to post the other version. the first recipe, posted over 2 years ago, is eggless. it also uses one whole head of garlic! this one includes the yolk of one egg and few cloves of garlic.

before i give the recipe, i will say that some people don't know or 'get it' that the authentic version of this sauce is made without eggs and quite a bit lot of garlic. in essence, it is a mixture of garlic mashed with salt to yield a purée into which oil is slowly added. it is then finished with lemon juice. making it this way has its faults in so much as it is extremely difficult to do, even for those who are experienced. it is an unstable emulsion which is very tempermental and requires the correct measures and perfect touch of hand, whether made traditionally in a large mortar or by modern methods (blender). the eggless version i posted in 2006, was thickened, as many people do it, with a piece of boiled potato, making a garlic sauce which does not separate and reduces the acridity, or harshness, of the garlic. adding either the boiled potato or a piece of moistened bread to it makes it stable (nothing worse than having all your work separate and fall apart before your eyes!).

* * * * *

the other way to make thoum stable is to use an egg yolk, an ingredient which makes a thick unctuous product. this creamy off-white coloured garlic sauce is also the one, i believe, the majority of people are looking for and the one which they are accustomed to finding in (fast food type) lebanese restaurants.

the best way to prepare this condiment is in a blender or with a hand held immersion blender. if you choose the latter route, make sure you have someone helping you to hold the vessel/cup in which you blend the ingredients, as it becomes difficult, even next to impossible, to keep it from wobbling around while blending and trying to add the oil all at the same time.

the most important thing when making this is NOT to rush. if you're one of those people who are impatient, then you are better off getting someone else to make it or just to buy it. while making this sauce is pretty straightforward, it still requires attention to detail and a steady hand.

the sauce is good for 1 to 2 weeks if well refrigerated. only use mild olive oil or a blend of vegetable and olive oil. remember this recipe is more like a mayonnaise (and therefore highly caloric) while the other has a different texture. that one, i'd say, is more like a sauce than a mayonnaise. it also uses less oil and is more pungent.


lebanese garlic mayonnaise sauce

makes approx. 1 cup

ingredients:

3 large cloves garlic + 1 smaller one
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp (no more than that!) water*
1/4 tsp salt

1 c (8 oz) regular olive oil or blend of vegetable and olive oil

white vinegar mixed with water to equal 3 tbsp OR,
juice of 1/2 small lemon

*the water is there to help blend things easily. DO NOT omit it.


method:

have your mise-en-place ready first. you don't have time to run around the kitchen grabbing ingredients.

*i am using an immersion blender here; you can use a regular one. do NOT use a food processor.

place the garlic and egg yolk in the mixing bowl (or tall sided immersion blender jar). if you don't trust your blades are sharp enough, you can use a mortar and pestle to grind the garlic to a fine purée with the salt and then add it to the blender with the egg yolk and continue from that point.

blend it for a minute just to break up the garlic. it will further break down as you progress.

add the salt and the water and mix it for 2 or 3 minutes (pulsing) until is is broken down and blended.

this part is where you need to keep an eye on things. i can't say exactly how long it will take as it depends upon your ingredients and your method.

add the oil now in DROPS and blend in completely after each one, pulsing as you go.

continue to do this until your mixture looks creamy and emulsified. this is the sign of when to add the rest of the oil, slowly in more of a steady stream.

add the oil, in trickles and keep blending as you go. it will take some time, maybe up to 10 minutes. have someone hold the emulsion jug if that is how you're doing it or to slowly pour the oil as you blend and hold on to the jar.

once all the oil is incorporated, it should look like a whitish very thick mayonnaise.

taste it to see if you need more salt. add a tiny bit if necessary.

now add the lemon juice or vinegar and water mixture in a slow stream until it tastes right to you. you may not need it all, so taste test along the way.

refrigerate and use as wanted.

enjoy!

fermented things — no. 1 {beet rossl}

before refrigeration, food was mainly preserved in one of three ways: it was either salted, dried or fermented — the exception to this being those who lived in extreme northern climates who were able to keep items frozen. that method, however, was not as stable as the aforementioned. as refrigeration became commonplace, the need for some of these practices of food preservation decreased or become unnecessary. on the other hand, many of the foods we love can only be prepared by those methods — the most important being fermentation.

fermentation, the complex chemical conversion of carbohydrates involving temperature and microorganisms, can be either intentional or accidental (ummm, what's that growing in the jar in the back of the fridge??), turning sugars into acids. some cultures seem to have more forms of (everyday) fermented foods than others; the most obvious seen in both chinese and japanese cuisines. there is also the belief, by some, that fermented foods are good for us.

in jewish cuisine, one of the oldest and most ubiquitous forms of fermentation is done with vegetables. besides pickling cucumbers, east european jews, like the people in the countries in which they lived, also fermented beets which resulted in something called rossl. in eastern europe, this was always prepared in homes around the holiday of purim, exactly four weeks before passover. the resulting beet rossl, a dark red and sour mixture of beet and beet juice, was (and still is) used to make soups, in addition to other things.

after 4 weeks of fermenting, the beets and its juice is ready to make (passover) borshcht. this is the real {i.e. authentic} ingredient used in this soup; those who didn't have it just added either sour salt (citric acid crystals) or lemon juice. at the moment, i'm not posting a recipe here for borshcht (see here for something similar) — i'm just showing you the easy way to prepare this beet rossl which some people still make today. though not nearly as popular as it used to be in years gone by, people do really annually prepare it as they have for centuries to this day. it's really no work at all; the fermentation does it all for you!


beet rossl

after a few weeks of slow fermentation, the result is a tangy deep magenta liquid and its pickled pieces of beetroot. both the liquid and the beets are used in a variety of ways — mostly, however, for soups like borshcht, be it a vegetarian or meat version.

makes enough for 2 or 3 soups

ingredients:

3 very LARGE beets or 4 to 5 medium ones
9 c cold water (little more than 2L)

method:

*you need an impeccably clean glass jar and lid; make sure it's dry before using.

peel the beets under running water, taking care not to get splashed as the beet juices stain terribly. remove each end first.

cut the beets into chunks.


place them in a sterilized and immaculately clean glass jar (~ 10 c / 2L + size).


fill the jar with water to cover. i usually fill it up so i will have quite a bit of liquid. the water must, at the very least, cover the beets by 2 inches (5 cm).

let the beets sit on a kitchen counter with the lid just sitting on top of the jar. DO NOT SCREW IT ON as the gases that form have no place to go. within a day, there should be foam on the surface. this is the fermentation process in progress. if you have a very warm kitchen, it could start as early as 8 to 12 hours.

remove this and discard it. you MUST use a completely clean spoon to do this each and every time so as not to contaminate (the fermentation of) the beets.

keep removing anything that you see on the surface on a daily basis.

eventually the fermentation will stop after a few days.

usually within 2 weeks, the beets and the juice will start to taste noticeably more sour. this is what you are aiming for — it should be sour (in a good way!). you can taste it to see, it's perfectly safe.

the juice and the beets will be ready to use after four weeks.

to use the results:

for the beets:

grate the beets by hand or do it in a food processor. you can just dice them up too — follow the directions of your recipe. be careful, it stains!


for the beet juice:

this is used in place of some, or all, of the liquid content of the recipe. because the liquid is soured already, you won't need to add lemon juice ..... unless, of course, the results are not sour enough for your taste.

most likely, you will not find any recipes which call for "rossl" specifically unless you are using a very old cookbook or a family recipe. this shouldn't deter you from making this and using it!

enjoy!