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Bread, Dinner, Italian, Recipes

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Pan Pizza

September 26, 2021

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza

Pizza is one of our favorite meals to prepare.  Most of the time we make thin crust pizza from a recipe John found in the Pizza Bible.  We bake it on our pizza stone in the oven after preheating it for nearly an hour, and at the highest temperature possible in a standard oven, which is usually 550 degrees (and the pizza is excellent).  I found this cast iron pan pizza recipe at King Arthur’s Baking site and I thought I would give it a try for something different.  Wow!  The rave reviews on their website were spot on.  The delightful airy, yet slightly chewy crust is superb.  I love everything about this pizza.  If you have a cast iron pan, make this pizza. You will love it.

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza

The crust is divine, soft, airy, with the perfect texture. 

Pizza Sauce, Pepperoni, Mozzarella

Use your favorite toppings but keep it simple. You don’t want to weigh the dough down with too many ingredients.

Pizza Dough

Look at this beautiful puffy dough.  

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza - Layering Ingredients

We added the recommended amount of cheese plus a bit of pepperoni, which I have to admit, I can’t resist.

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza - Layering Ingredients

For this pizza, the sauce is added on top of the cheese.  This ensures that the crust bakes up beautifully without being soggy.

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza - Layering Ingredients

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza - Ready to Bake

The last topping is a bit more cheese.  The pizza is then baked into a gorgeous pie.

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza

Crispy Cheesy Pepperoni Cast Iron Pan Pizza
 
Author:
Serves: one 9" - 10" pan pizza
Ingredients
  • 2 cups (240g) King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (7g)
  • ½ teaspoon instant yeast
  • ¾ c (170g) water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, equally divided (13g each)
  • 6 ounces (170g) mozzarella, grated
  • ½ cup (113g) pizza sauce
  • 25 small slices of pepperoni (I render my pepperoni in the toaster oven for 3 minutes before adding to the pizza)
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese, fresh julienned basil, fresh or dried oregano, red pepper flakes for sprinkling on the top after baking, optional
Preparation
  1. Special Equipment: 9" - 10" cast iron pan
  2. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Place flour, salt, yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a bowl of a stand mixer or other medium-large bowl. Stir everything together to make a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of flour. This should take 30-45 seconds in a mixer using the beater paddle or about 1 minute by hand, using a spoon or spatula. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to gather the dough into a rough ball; cover the bowl.
  3. After 5 minutes, uncover the bowl and reach a bowl scraper or wet hand down between the side of the bowl and dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out of the bowl. Instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up and over its top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90 degrees each time. This process of four stretches, which takes the place of kneading, is called "stretch and fold."
  4. Re-cover the bowl and after 5 minutes do another fold. Wait 5 minutes and repeat; then another 5 minutes, and do a fourth and final fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 40 minutes. Then refrigerate it for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 72 hours. It will rise slowly as it chills, developing flavor.
  5. About 3 hours before you want to serve your pizza, prepare your pan. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet that is 10" - 11" diameter across the top, and about 9" across the bottom. Heavy, dark cast iron will give you a superb crust; but if you don't have it, use another oven-safe heavy bottom skillet similar in size. You can use a 10" round cake pan or 9" square pan. Tilt the pan to spread the oil across the bottom, and use your fingers to spread some oil up the edges of the pan.
  6. Transfer the dough to the pan and turn it once to coat both sides with the oil. After coating the dough in oil, press the dough to the edges of the pan, dimpling it using the tips of your fingers in the process. The dough may start to resist and shrink back; that's OK, just cover it and let it rest for 10-15 minutes, then repeat the dimpling/pressing. At this point, the dough should reach the edges of the pan. If it doesn't, give it one more 10-15 minute rest before dimpling/pressing a third and final time. Cover the crust and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature. The fully risen dough will look soft and pillowy and will jiggle when you gently shake the pan. Don't let the dough rise much longer or it may spill over the pan's edge when baking.
  7. About 30 minutes before baking, place one rack at the bottom of the oven and one toward the top (about 4" - 5" from the top heating element). If you have a pizza stone, place it on the bottom rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  8. When you are ready to bake the pizza, sprinkle about three-quarters of the mozzarella evenly over the crust, making sure to cover the entire crust leaving no bare dough showing. This will yield caramelized edges that are delicious. Dollop small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese. You may choose to use less than the ½ cup of sauce, using ⅓ cup instead. Scatter pepperoni slices evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
  9. Place the cast iron pan on your pizza stone if using, otherwise bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 18 - 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are a rich golden brown (use a spatula to check the bottom). If the bottom is brown but the top needs more time, transfer the pizza to the top rack and bake for 2 to 4 minutes. On the other hand, if the top seems fine but the bottom needs a few more minutes, leave the pizza on the bottom rack for another 2 to 4 minutes. Home ovens can vary a lot, so use visual cues and your own preferences to gauge when you have achieved the perfect bake.
  10. Remove pizza from the oven and place on a heatproof surface. Carefully run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool briefly, transfer to a cooling rack or cutting surface. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.
  11. Slice the pizza into thick wedges and serve the pizza anywhere from medium-hot to warm. Pass around the Parmesan, julienned basil, dried oregano and red pepper flakes.

 

Bread, Dinner, Eggs, Fish, Italian, Lactose Free, Recipes, Sandwiches

Italian-Style Tuna Sandwich

August 29, 2021

Italian-Style Tuna Sandwich

We love all types of sandwiches but tuna is one of our favorites.  Whether it is tuna salad with mayonnaise, celery, onion and a dash of dried dill, or tuna in olive oil on John’s toasted sourdough, we enjoy all of them.  This particular version is a real treat.  A salsa verde made with Italian parsley, rich olives, briny capers and anchovy fillets plus zesty lemon and olive oil make this sandwich very special.  The salsa verde is refreshing and pairs well with the tuna and hard-boiled eggs.  This is truly a sandwich “to die for.”

Italian-Style Tuna Sandwich

Tuna in Olive Oil Selection

We buy all sorts of tuna in olive oil.  One of my favorites is As do Mar.  You can find this brand on line or in specialty stores, but I have never seen it in Hawaii markets.  Genova tuna is available at Costco for a very fair price.  Ortiz is another high-end tuna.  The small cans are perfect for two.  We used Ortiz tuna in the jar, above right, for this sandwich.  Beautiful thin tuna steaks are delicious.  You can find this item at Whole Foods in Kahului.  You will pay a dear price for this luxury item, but think of it as a treat that you deserve now and then.  

Italian Parsley from the Garden

We always have Italian parsley growing in the garden.  It is the herb I use most.  It’s great to be able to snip a few sprigs off the plant when you need them.  

Anchovies, Garlic, Lemon Zest, Olives & Capers

Ortiz tuna is top notch and so are their anchovies.  There is no comparison to the ones you might find at the grocery stores.  You can find Ortiz anchovies in the    R. Fields section at Foodland Farms in Wailuku.

Salsa Verde

The salsa verde is delicious and gorgeous.  If you have leftovers, mix it up with pasta shells to make a delicious salad.  Toss some good feta into the salad and you’re all set.

Italian-Style Tuna Sandwich

Be sure to serve the sandwich on good bread.

Italian-Style Tuna Sandwich

Italian-Style Tuna Sandwich
 
Adapted from NYT Cooking
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Salsa Verde: 1 cup lightly packed Italian parsley leaves, washed and dried
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium-large garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped green olives
  • 2 large anchovy fillets, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • pinch of crushed red pepper
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Sandwiches: 2 ciabatta rolls or 1 small baguette
  • lettuce leaves or arugula
  • 6 ounces best quality tuna in olive oil, drained
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, halved
Preparation
  1. Whiz parsley leaves and ½ cup olive oil in a food processor or blender to a pesto-like consistency, then transfer to a small bowl. Add garlic, chopped olives, anchovies, capers, lemon zest and red pepper to parsley mixture. Stir well. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. The olives, anchovies and capers are quite salty on their own so additional salt may not be needed.
  2. Split ciabatta rolls or baguette with a serrated knife. Spread cut sides with salsa verde. Put a few lettuce leaves on the bottom piece of the bread and arrange tuna evenly over the lettuce. Top with sliced hard-boiled eggs (salt and pepper each piece). Drizzle with more salsa verde then press sandwich closed. Cut baguette into two even portions and serve.

 

Bread, Breakfast, Lactose Free, Sandwiches, Vegan, Vegetarian

Homemade Almost Everything Bagels

December 1, 2020

Homemade Almost Everything Bagels

A few years ago I tried my hand at making bagels.  I experimented with several different recipes but none stood out enough to make again.  They were often beautiful bagels and we ate them all but I found some to be generally too chewy.  So I put bagel making aside until a few months ago when I took up the challenge again.  Good bagels are in a class of their own but they are hard to come by in the Islands.  Since there is nothing better than homemade bread which we make with considerable success, why not homemade bagels?

Overnight Bagel Dough

Making the dough is actually quite simple. Bagel dough is very stiff so a heavy duty stand mixer is a must for this recipe.  After shaping the bagels, they go into the refrigerator to proof overnight then are boiled and baked the following day.

Boiling Bagels

After testing different methods for boiling the bagels I found that the longer you boil them, the chewier they become once they have finished baking.  Many recipes call for boiling bagels for a minute on each side. My preference is to boil bagels for 10-15 seconds per side.  They puff up nicely and you’ll end up with bagels that have a perfectly soft yet chewy texture.

Toppings: Sesame Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Rehydrated Onions, Maldon Sea Salt

My “almost everything bagels” are generously coated on both sides with rehydrated dried minced onion, poppy seeds, sesame seeds and flaky Maldon salt.  Rehydrating the onions in hot water for a half hour keeps the onions from burning when the bagels are baking.

Homemade Almost Everything Bagels

Be generous with your toppings because inevitably, a few of the seeds will fall off when you slice the bagels.

Homemade Almost Everything Bagels

Homemade Almost Everything Bagel with Smoked Salmon

Bagels are superb served with smoked salmon, ham and cheese, avocado, pimento cheese or just butter.  According to bagel purists, toasting a bagel is verboten and that bagels should be eaten warm as they come out of the oven.  They are best eaten the day they are made.  So in my case, I freeze most of the bagels since there’s no way I can eat a dozen in a day.  When I am ready to have one, I take it out of the freezer to defrost, slice, and toast my bagel.  Then it’s ready for whatever toppings I want to add.  Sometimes just a few pats of butter does the trick.

Homemade Almost Everything Bagel with Cheddar, Ham & Avocado

Homemade Almost Everything Bagel with Pimento Cheese

Homemade Bagels
 
Author:
Serves: 1 dozen
Ingredients
  • 4 cups (623g, 22 ounces) King Arthur bread flour
  • 1½ teaspoons instant yeast (recommend SAF Red Instant Yeast, proofing is not necessary)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons diastatic malt powder (available from Amazon)
  • 1½ cups (12 ounces) water
  • 1 tablespoon barley malt syrup (available from Amazon or local health food stores)
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • egg white wash whisked until frothy
  • toppings of your choice
Preparation
  1. Special equipment: Heavy duty stand mixer, kitchen scale, parchment paper, 2 large sheet pans, diastatic malt powder, barley malt syrup, wide flat slotted spoon, kitchen timer, small pastry brush (silicone works great)
  2. Note: I use a half sheet pan and a quarter sheet pan to bake all 12 bagels at the same time on the center rack. If you use 2 large sheet pans, boil and bake 6 bagels at a time. Then continue with the second batch after the first 6 bagels have baked. It is a good idea to leave space between the bagels and not crowd them so they bake up nice and brown on all sides.
  3. Whisk flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and barley malt powder in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in water. With mixer on low speed (#2 on my KitchenAid), mix until dough starts to come together, about 4-5 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides to ensure all of the flour gets mixed in well. Bagel dough is very stiff, however, if the dough seems too dry, add a teaspoon of water.
  4. Increase the speed (#3 on my KitchenAid) and set a timer for 5 minutes and knead dough until it is cohesive and smooth. Remove dough and weigh it. Then divide it into 12 equal portions for small bagels, 10 for larger bagels. As you work, cover the dough pieces with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel to prevent drying. Working with 1 piece at a time, shape the dough into a smooth ball. Pinch the dough together on the bottom of the ball. Again, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying and continue with the rest of the dough. Let the dough balls rest for 5 minutes, covered.
  5. To shape the dough, place dough round on the counter, push your index finger into the center of each dough round so that it goes all the way through. Twirl the dough between your two index fingers to create a hole about 1½-inches wide. Place shaped bagels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been lightly oiled. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 500 degrees with rack in center.
  7. Have ready: A thick layer of paper towels on the counter to place the boiled bagels on and a large piece of parchment paper for transferring bagels once dry (they will stick on paper towels if left too long). Have a second sheet pan lined with parchment paper ready and all of your toppings (if using) plus egg wash. Remove bagels from the refrigerator.
  8. Fill a large wide pot or Dutch oven with at least 6-inches of water. Bring water to a boil. Add barley malt syrup and baking soda. Give it a quick stir, skim off most of the foam. Working with 2-3 bagels at a time, gently place bagels in boiling water and set timer for 20 seconds. After 10 seconds have passed, gently flip bagels over for another 10 seconds. Immediately transfer bagels to paper towels using a wide, flat slotted spoon. Then transfer to parchment paper. Continue with the rest of the bagels.
  9. If you are adding toppings to your bagels, brush bottom side of bagel first with egg wash. Sprinkle toppings over the dough, flip bagel and repeat the process. Transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the bagels. You may choose to leave some of the bagels plain or simply coat with sesame seeds or other toppings of your choice. Place bagels in oven and reduce heat to 450 degrees. Bake bagels (rotate pan halfway through) for about 14 minutes or until bagels are nicely browned. Let bagels cool a bit before slicing.

 

Bread, Breakfast, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

Spinach Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Scones

May 7, 2020

Spinach, Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Scone

I’ve made a variety of different scones, but I’m always up for another one and this time it’s a savory version.  Using fresh spinach is ideal.  It doesn’t get soggy and the deep green color makes these scones pop.  I love the complex, bold flavor that sharp cheddar adds to each bite.  Scones can be made on the fly which is a very good thing.  From the time you gather your ingredients, make the dough and bake the scones, you will have spent less than 1 hour of your time.  And, you will be rewarded with 8 large yummy scones.

Spinach, Cheddar, Sun-Dried Tomato & Chives

I had a large jar of sun-dried tomatoes in the refrigerator so I added a few to the dough along with the spinach, cheddar and a few chopped chives.  I also baked some scones without the sun-dried tomatoes and chives and both versions are delicious.

Spinach, Cheddar, Sun-Dried Tomato & Chives

Spinach, Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Scone Dough

For uniformity you can pat the dough into an 8-inch cake pan then invert it onto a parchment-lined cutting board before slicing it into wedges.  You can skip this step and form your own rustic round then slice the dough into wedges.

Spinach, Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Scone Dough

Spinach & Cheddar Scones

I love how the cheddar melts and makes lacy, crispy edges around the scones. These are best served warm when the cheese is still soft.  I regularly freeze mine and warm them up in the microwave for a snack.

Spinach & Cheddar Scones

This recipe is quite flexible.  You don’t necessarily need sun-dried tomatoes or chives.  The scones will still be so flavorful.  Just be sure to use a good sharp cheddar.

Spinach, Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Scone

Spinach Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Scones
 
Author:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (1¼ teaspoons if using unsalted butter)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ cup cold Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (or regular unsalted butter) cut into small pieces
  • 2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach (not packed)
  • 1 heaping cup sharp cheddar, diced small
  • ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
  • 1¼ cups Organic Valley lactose free half and half (or regular half and half) + more for brushing the tops of scones
Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, lightly butter or oil pan.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut the Buttery Sticks into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers, until the chunks of butter are the size of small peas. Place the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes. This helps to firm up the Buttery Sticks which helps to create tender scones.
  3. Remove the bowl from the freezer and stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and chives. Add the half and half and stir until the dough is moistened. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently form into a disk. Transfer the dough to an 8-inch cake pan (bottom lined with parchment paper and pan lightly oiled). Pat the dough gently to fit the pan. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured parchment lined cutting board, remove parchment round. Slice the dough into 8 wedges. Transfer the wedges to your half sheet pan. Brush the tops of the wedges with a bit of half and half. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until the scones are golden brown. Let scones cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool. Scones can be frozen.

 

Bread, Dinner, Italian, Lactose Free, Recipes

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia

April 9, 2020

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia

I saved this focaccia recipe from a 1996 Food & Wine magazine (yes 24 years ago!).  Over that period, I  have made it quite a few times, but not for several years.  So with extra time on my hands (and a nudge from John) I decided to bake this beautiful focaccia last weekend. The dough rises quickly and smells divine even before it is formed and baked. This recipe has been fool-proof, turning out perfectly time after time.

Fresh Thyme, Rosemary & Basil

Luckily if you don’t grow your own herbs, you can find them easily in any market.

Onion, Garlic, Fresh Thyme, Rosemary & Basil

A cup of minced onion is cooked in a bit of olive oil and the fresh herbs are added to the onions before being mixed into the dough.  Don’t skip this step.  The few minutes it takes to mince the onion and herbs and sauté until slightly softened will be well worth your time.

Billowy Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia Dough Rising

I used rapid rise (bread machine) yeast so the dough doubled quickly, in about an hour.  If you use regular active dry yeast, the rising time could take up to 2 hours. Either of these is fine.

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia Dough in Baking Pan

The dough rises until it has doubled in bulk.  You will then punch down the dough and let it rise again for another 45 minutes or so.  Now it is ready to be shaped and placed in your pan.  Along with the onion that is incorporated in the dough, extra slivers of softened onion are added on top with raw sesame seeds and Maldon salt.  Chili flakes, poppy seeds, more fresh herbs, and olives are other options.   Or leave it plain with just a sprinkling of coarse salt.

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia Dough in Baking Pan with Sautéed Onion Topping

The dough is billowy and soft, and flecked with herbs.

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia

Beautiful focaccia with a light open crumb makes for a tender bread that is perfect with your favorite Italian meal or split and used for salami and cheese sandwiches.  This is the reason I saved my old favorite.

Peppered Salami & Pepper Jack Cheese on Focaccia Bread

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia
 
Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine
Author:
Serves: 17x13-inch focaccia
Ingredients
  • Fresh Herbs & Onion:
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 1 cup (packed) minced yellow onion
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Dough:
  • 1½ cups lukewarm water (105-115 degrees)
  • 1 cup lukewarm 2% lactose free or regular milk (105-115 degrees)
  • 1 scant tablespoon table salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • (1) ¼ ounce envelope rapid rise yeast (also known as bread machine or instant yeast - 2¼ teaspoons)
  • 6½ cups bread flour (spoon & level measuring method)
  • cornmeal for dusting
  • Topping:
  • 1 large onion, sliced into thin wedges and separated into strips
  • Raw sesame seeds
  • Maldon sea salt for sprinkling
  • olive oil
Preparation
  1. For the herbs & onion mixture: Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, reduce the heat to low and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the herbs and a generous amount of pepper and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the water, milk, salt and sugar.
  2. Measure bread flour into a medium bowl, add yeast and whisk together.
  3. Stir flour 1 cup at a time into the herb-liquid mixture until the dough becomes too stiff to stir. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until smooth, supple and elastic, about 5 minutes, kneading in only as much flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
  4. Generously grease a large bowl with olive oil. The dough is very lively and will double in size so use the largest bowl you have. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn to coat with the olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1½ hours.
  5. While the dough is rising, sauté the onion slices for the topping in a bit of olive oil on medium-low heat until just softened, about 4 minutes or so. Don't let them brown or soften too much as they will cook again in the oven.
  6. Once doubled in bulk, punch down the dough. Re-cover the bowl and let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  7. Brush olive oil over the bottom and sides of a 17-by-13-by1-inch dark heavy aluminum baking sheet (I use my jelly roll pan). Sprinkle cornmeal on the pan and tap out excess.
  8. Punch down the dough and turn it onto a cornmeal-dusted work surface. Turn the dough over and over to coat lightly with cornmeal and shape into a large, rough rectangle. Lift the dough and place in the prepared pan. Don't worry if it loses its shape in the transfer, it is very forgiving. Gently pull, push and pat the dough so it fills the baking sheet. Let the dough rise uncovered in a draft-free spot until billowy, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  9. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 450 degrees with the rack positioned in the bottom third. If using a baking stone, place on the rack and heat for at least 30 minutes.
  10. Scatter the sautéed onions evenly over the top of the dough. Dip your fingers in olive oil and make many deep indentations in the dough, pressing sautéed onion strips into the dough gently. Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and Maldon sea salt.
  11. Place the baking sheet in the oven (on the baking stone if using) and bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are crisp and the focaccia is a deep golden color. Remove from the oven and brush extra virgin olive oil (optional) over the top. Using a large metal spatula, slide focaccia onto a large rack to cool.
  12. Let cool before cutting into pieces with a bread knife. Leftover focaccia can be frozen in Ziploc freezer bags.

 

Bread, Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Pork, Recipes, Sandwiches

Katsu Sando

August 18, 2019

Katsu Sando

Tonkatsu is without a doubt one of my favorite dishes.  When we visited Japan in 2018 we went to the original Ginza Bairin inTokyo for tonkatsu.  They don’t take reservations, which means the line of patrons starts forming at least 30 minutes prior to opening.  We were pretty deep in the line, but luckily for us, we got the last two seats for the first seating.  The tonkatsu did not disappoint.  When we have a craving for katsu we make our own with pork or sometimes chicken.  Both are equally delicious served with rice, macaroni salad, shredded cabbage and namasu.  Katsu sando’s (the Japanese term for tonkatsu sandwiches) are another terrific way to serve the crunchy pork cutlets.  These sandwiches are compact, beautiful and tasty.

Pork Cutlets From Top to Bottom: Out of the Package, Trimmed, Pounded

Boneless pork loin chops are quite reasonably priced.  I bought a 4-pack that cost me under $6.00.  Once I got home from the market, I trimmed off the small amount of fat and pounded the pork to an even thickness of about 1/3-inch which also tenderizes the meat.

Panko

Crispy Shredded Cabbage

Shredded cabbage is a must with this sando,  The crispy cabbage enveloped in the soft bread and fried pork with savory tonkatsu sauce is absolutely the best sando you can imagine.

Tonkatsu Sauce

There are so many brands of tonkatsu sauce available.  My favorite is Kagome.  If you can find it, give it a try.  Good katsu sauce = tasty sando.

Kewpie Mayonnaise

Kewpie mayonnaise can be found at most markets these days and on-line.  Of course regular mayonnaise will do just fine, especially since it is not the star of the sandwich. But I like to go Japanese all the way when making this.  Most use Japanese milk bread for the sandwiches.  Since John makes all of our bread, he made this white loaf just for katsu sando and it turned out to be a keeper.

The Beginning of the Best Sando

Katsu Sando

Gazing at this photo of the Katsu Sando makes me want to eat one right now!

Katsu Sando

Katsu Sando
 
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 boneless pork chop cutlets (about 5 ounces each) trimmed of fat and pounded to ⅓-inch thick
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream (optional)
  • 1½ cups panko
  • salt and pepper
  • canola oil for frying pork
  • 8 slices white bread
  • butter (we use Miyoko's vegan butter)
  • tonkatsu sauce (Kagome brand is our favorite)
  • Kewpie mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
Preparation
  1. Pork should be pounded to ⅓-inch thick or up to ½-inch if you prefer thicker pieces. Salt and pepper both sides of pork cutlets.
  2. Place flour and panko on separate large plates. Mix eggs with 1 tablespoon sour cream if using, in a wide shallow bowl.
  3. Dredge each piece of pork in flour, shaking off excess. Dip pieces in egg mixture. Allow remaining egg to drip back into the bowl. Place pork in panko and spread panko over the top. Press firmly so the panko adheres to the pork. It's best to use a dry, clean hand so the panko doesn't clump and fall off.
  4. Heat a large skillet preferably with high sides over medium to medium-high heat with enough oil to reach ¼-inch up the sides of the pan. Once the oil is hot, fry pork in two batches, until nicely browned and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Transfer fried pork to a rack or plate. Continue frying the other two pieces of pork.
  5. To make the sandwich, butter 4 slices of bread. Spread tonkatsu sauce over the butter. Set aside.
  6. Spread mayonnaise on the other four slices of bread. Add shredded cabbage on the mayonnaise, followed by tonkatsu sauce. Place a fried pork cutlet on top and drizzle more tonkatsu sauce over the pork. Place buttered bread slices on top of the pork. Using a sharp knife, cut off the crusts and any extra pork to make a uniform sandwich. Cut each sandwich in half. Serve with chips and extra tonkatsu sauce.

 

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