The master chef and star of the PBS’ series “Spain ... On the Road Again” shares two of his classic pizza recipes — not for the oven, but for wood-fired or outdoor ovens instead. The restaurateur also offers up his version of the classic comfort food, baked ziti.
Recipe: Pizza margherita (on this page) Recipe: Pizza pepperoni (on this page) Recipe: Baked ziti al telefono (on this page)
Recipe: Besciamella (on this page)
Nothing screams wood-fired oven like a pizza! This is the classic.
1. Combine 1 envelope of dry yeast, 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and 3/4 cups of lukewarm water. Mix a little and let sit for 6-8 minutes.
Combine 1 3/4 cups of unbleached plain flour with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl or food processor.
2. Pour the water mixture into the bowl (or food processor) and mix until ready to knead, roughly 30 seconds in a food processor. If using a bowl, mix with a spoon until you have a neat ball, about 5-6 minutes.
Prepare a lightly sprinkled surface with flour. Turn out dough and knead for around 2-3 minutes. Lightly cover your fingertips with flour if the mixture is a little sticky. Place dough in an oiled bowl and let stand 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
3. Punch down and knead 2 minutes and then cut in half and roll each half into a ball and let rest 10 minutes. Roll each ball out by hand into 8-10 inch rounds.
Spoon and move sauce around to form nicely formed pie. Place mozzarella in a nice design over and around pie.
4. Slide pies into hot wood-burning oven and cook until crisp and lightly charred, with cheese bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle basil leaves over, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, slice and serve.
Makes 2 pizzas
1. Combine 1 envelope of dry yeast, 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and 3/4 cups of lukewarm water. Mix a little and let sit for 6-8 minutes.
Combine 1 3/4 cups of unbleached plain flour with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl or food processor.
2. Pour the water mixture into the bowl (or food processor) and mix until ready to knead, roughly 30 seconds in a food processor. If using a bowl, mix with a spoon until you have a neat ball, about 5-6 minutes.
Prepare a lightly sprinkled surface with flour. Turn out dough and knead for around 2-3 minutes. Lightly cover your fingertips with flour if the mixture is a little sticky. Place dough in an oiled bowl and let stand 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
3. Punch down and knead 2 minutes, and then cut in half and roll each half into a ball and let rest 10 minutes. Roll each ball out by hand into 8-10 inch rounds.
Spoon and move sauce around to form nicely formed pie. Place mozzarella in a nice design over and around pie and then place pepperoni over top of each.
4. Slide pies into hot wood-burning oven and cook until crisp and lightly charred, with cheese bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, slice and serve.
Makes 2 pizzas
Baked pasta is classic comfort food and easy to make as long as you follow the rules:
1. This cannot be made more than an hour before cooking and serving or it will lose the essential toothsome bite.
2. It is importantissimo to undercook the pasta in the boiling water. The “al telefono” moniker comes from the stringing mozzarella’s ability to create long strands that to the fertile Italian imagination resemble phone wires stretching across the countryside.
1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.
Cook the ziti 2 minutes short of the package instructions. They should be too “al dente” to enjoy. Remove, drain and refresh in cold water.
Drain the pasta a second time and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the tomato sauce, besciamella, mozzarella and grated cheese and stir to mix well.
2. Divide the pasta and sauce mixture equally among 4 gratin dishes or one large terra cotta dish. Sprinkle the ziti with bread crumbs and bake in the oven until bubbling and crusty on top, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook, stirring until light golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan, heat the milk to just under a boil. Add the milk to the butter mixture about 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly until very smooth, and bring to a boil, whisking. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Season with the salt and nutmeg. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups
© 2012 MSNBC Interactive
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