Breads | Saveur

Croissants au Beurre

Chad Robertson — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:25:35 +0000

Emma Star Jensen

The croissant is the most celebrated member of the family of butter- and sugar-enriched, yeasted pastries known as viennoiseries. They obtain their signature flaky texture through lamination, the process of coating a dough with fat and repeatedly folding and rolling it to create layers. Tartine owner Chad Robertson insists on an unsalted, high-fat butter with at least 80 percent fat for laminating his straight-armed versions.

Recipe times may vary drastically depending on environmental factors, so be sure to mind the visual cues before moving on to the next step. If possible, use a scale to measure your ingredients and work in a cool room.

Featured in “How to Make the Best Ultra-Buttery Croissants,” by Kat Craddock.

Ingredients

For the Preferment:

³⁄₄ cup (200 g) 2% milk
¹⁄₂ tsp. (2 g) active dry yeast (not instant)
1 ¹⁄₄ cups (175 g) bread flour

For the Dough:

2 tsp. (8 g) active dry yeast (not instant)
1 ³⁄₄ cups (425 g) 2% milk
5 ¹⁄₄ cups (800 g) bread flour, plus more as needed
¹⁄₃ cup (70 g) sugar
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. (22 g) fine sea salt
1 tbsp. (12 g) unsalted butter, melted
5 sticks (585 g) high-fat unsalted butter (look for European-style brands like Plugra, President, or Kerrygold) at room temperature
3 large egg yolks
2 tbsp. heavy cream

Instructions

Make the preferment: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk just enough to take the chill off. (The milk should not feel warm or cold to the touch, 80°–90°.)
Pour the milk into a large bowl, then sprinkle in the yeast and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until a smooth batter forms. Cover the bowl with a clean, dry kitchen towel and let the mixture rise until almost doubled in volume, 2½–3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the dough: Transfer the preferment to the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Set the milk, flour, sugar, salt, and melted butter nearby. Add the yeast to the preferment and mix on low speed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl and bring together the ingredients as needed, until the yeast is incorporated and the mixture is an even, well-mixed mass, about 2 minutes. Raise the speed to medium, and while mixing, slowly add half of the milk. Continue to mix until fully incorporated. Turn off the mixer, then add the flour, sugar, salt, melted butter, and the remaining half of the milk. Mix on low speed until a loose dough forms, about 2 minutes. Return the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and cohesive, 2 minutes more. Remove the hook and cover the bowl with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Let rise in a cool place until the volume has increased by nearly half, about 1½ hours.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and form it into a rough rectangle about 2 inches thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled through, 3–4 hours.
One hour before laminating the dough, make your butter sheet. Place a large sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap on a work surface. Add the butter to the center in a neat pile, then cover with a second sheet. Use a rolling pin to flatten and form the butter into a 12×18½-inch rectangle, peeling back the top sheet to manipulate the butter into shape as needed. Refrigerate to lightly chill but not fully resolidify, 5–10 minutes.
Laminate the dough: Lightly flour a work surface. Retrieve and unwrap the dough, then roll it out to a 28×12-inch rectangle. With a long side facing you, peel the top sheet away from the butter and flip it over to cover the left two-thirds of the rectangle. Peel away the other sheet. Fold the uncovered third of the dough over the butter, then fold the left-hand third over the center, as if folding a business letter. With your fingers, push down along the seams on the top and the bottom to seal in the butter. Give the dough a quarter turn so that the seams are perpendicular to you. Roll out the dough once more into a 28×12-inch rectangle, and fold again in the same manner (no need to pinch the seams again). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to relax the gluten in the dough.
Clean the work surface, dust again lightly with flour, and retrieve the dough. Unwrap and again roll out into a rectangle 28×12 inches. Fold into thirds so that the rectangle measures 9×12 inches and 1½–2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic and immediately freeze on a flat surface for at least 1 hour or up to 1 week. (if frozen for more than an hour, transfer the dough to the refrigerator to thaw overnight before using in the morning.)
Three hours before you are ready to serve, form and proof the croissants: Remove the thawed dough from the refrigerator. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll into a 12×40-inch rectangle about 1⁄8 inch thick. Use a straight edge and a paring knife or pizza cutter to carefully trim 1 inch from each of the long sides; save for another use. Cut the remaining dough into 14 triangles, 4 inches at the base and 10 inches tall. Working one at a time, stretch the triangles slightly to extend them to 11 inches. Then, starting at the base, roll each tightly all the way to the tip to form an even, straight-armed croissant shape. Press slightly at the tip to adhere and to make a slightly flattened base for the croissant to rest on. Continue rolling the croissants in this manner, then transfer them, spaced evenly apart and flattened side down on the prepared baking sheets (no more than 6 croissants per baking sheet).
Preheat the oven to 400° and set the racks at least 4 inches apart. (If you only have room for 2 racks, the croissants should be baked in 2 rounds.) Set a large, wide baking dish filled with water on the floor of the oven. Place the baking sheets in a warm, preferably humid spot and let rise until the croissants are puffed, very gassy, and about doubled in size (they should slowly spring back when poked with your fingertip and jiggle slightly like gelatin when the tray is shaken), 60–80 minutes.
In a small bowl, beat the yolks and heavy cream. Brush the risen croissants evenly with the mixture and bake, without opening the oven, until the croissants begin to color, 20–22 minutes. Rotate the pans and continue cooking until evenly golden, 6–8 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.

Time To Make The Dough

Making the Dough Christina Holmes

Lead viennoisier, Fausto Echeverria, uses a high-fat, European-style butter from Oregon to laminate Tartine’s croissant dough. First, a thin sheet of butter is laid on top of the dough before it is folded into thirds (1). Then, Echeverria rolls the dough out a second time (2), before folding it again in thirds like a letter (3, 4). After a short rest in the fridge, the folding process is repeated once more. The dough is then rested again for several hours to relax the gluten. After the final rest, the dough can be sheeted out and shaped into croissants, danish, and morning buns.

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Sour-Milk Griddle Cakes

Tim Mazurek — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 17:15:19 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

In this sour-milk griddle cake recipe—adapted from Edna Lewis’ The Taste of Country Cooking —a thick, tangy batter cooks up into soft, fluffy rounds. The rustic pancakes make a delicious breakfast, especially when topped with stewed berries and maple syrup. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries to make the sauce.

Featured in “Back of the Bookshelf: The Taste of Country Cooking” by Tim Mazurek.“

Yield: 2

Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE SAUCE

2 cups blueberries, rinsed
⅓ cup sugar

FOR THE PANCAKES

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. fine salt
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for cooking
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups sour milk or buttermilk
Maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

Make the sauce: To a medium pot set over medium heat, bring the blueberries, sugar, and 1⁄3 cup of water to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries break down and the sugar dissolves, 4–5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the melted butter and egg until just combined and no streaks of flour remain, then whisk in the sour milk.
In a large non-stick skillet set over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the foam has subsided, working in batches, use a ⅓-cup measuring cup to scoop the batter onto the pan (without crowding the surface). Cook until tiny bubbles begin to form on the tops of the pancakes and the bottoms are golden brown, 2–4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, 2–4 minutes more. Transfer the pancakes to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Add more butter to the skillet and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately with the blueberry sauce and maple syrup.

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Strawberry Shortcake for a Crowd

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:48 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling By Jessie YuChen; Prop Styling By Kim Gray

Baking a single oversize biscuit instead of laboring over individual ones makes for a marvelously over-the-top presentation of the classic American dessert. Because this strawberry shortcake recipe hinges on peak-season berries, it’s best to hit up your local farm stand for Tristar and other heirloom strawberries (alternatively, fancy-schmancy Oishii berries are sweet year round). The recipe can be doubled with success; simply make two biscuits, not one extra-large one.

Yield: 4

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

3 cups strawberries, washed, hulled, and halved lengthwise
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fine salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, divided
¾ cup whole or two percent milk
1 cup cold heavy cream
3 Tbsp. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

In a bowl, toss the strawberries with 5 tablespoons of the sugar and set aside to macerate for 30 minutes.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Into a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar and whisk gently to combine. Scatter 4 tablespoons of the butter on top, then use a pastry blender or your fingers to work it into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, then shape it into a large biscuit 6 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake until just golden, about 25 minutes. When cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to slice it horizontally in half, then transfer to a platter and spread the cut sides evenly with the remaining butter.
Using a handheld or stand mixer on high speed, whip the cream until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, slowly add the confectioners sugar and vanilla, then continue to beat to nearly stiff peaks.
Assemble the shortcake: Spoon the strawberries and their juices atop the bottom half of the biscuit, then cover with the whipped cream and top with the other half of the biscuit. Serve immediately in wedges.

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Grilled Cheese Recipes From Around the World

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:33:38 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY LAURA SAMPEDRO

Gluten and dairy intolerances aside, it’s hard to argue with the comforting, oozy goodness of melted cheese between—or atop!—slices of crunchy, griddled, fried, or toasted bread. Here are some of our favorite grilled cheese recipes from around the world.

Croûte au Fromage

The type of cheese, bread, and wine used to assemble the most basic version of this common Swiss comfort food, which is effectively cheesy toast, can vary depending on which region you happen to be enjoying it in. Photographer Simon Bajada, who visited and interviewed several Alpine cheesemakers, uses a splash of Fendant—a crisp and mineral white wine from Valais—in his recipe, but feel free to swap in any dry white wine. Get the recipe >

Monte Cristo Sandwich

People have strong opinions about the Monte Cristo sandwich, a double-decker of Swiss cheese, ham, and chicken or turkey, which is battered, fried, dusted with confectioners sugar, and served with a side of tart red jelly. Some consider it a marvel; others, an absurdity. Divisiveness aside, this perfect Monte Cristo recipe is an impressive one. Get the recipe >

The Original Reuben Sandwich

Pressing down on this sandwich with a spatula while it toasts in the pan is the key to achieving the outer crispness and well-melted cheese we look for in this classic deli sandwich. Get the recipe >

Patty Melt

Some say that the patty melt—a griddled sandwich of ground beef, caramelized onions, cheese, and rye bread—isn’t technically a burger, because it has no bun. We love it just the same. Get the recipe >

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY LAURA SAMPEDRO

The secret to making a perfect grilled cheese sandwich is cooking it over low heat, which brings out the subtle flavors of a cheese. Nutty and complex Comté, made in the Jura region of the French Alps, is particularly well suited to grilling. Get the recipe >

Fully Loaded Turkish Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Kumru)

This specialty of Çesme, a small beach town in Turkey, is one of the world’s great grilled cheese sandwiches. The cheese itself is grilled before getting slipped into toasted bread with raw tomato and optional (but highly recommended) toppings of griddled sausage and pickled cucumbers and chiles. Get the recipe >

Croque Madame

The egg-topped counterpart to France’s ham-and-cheese-stuffed croque monsieur is worth the extra step. Get the recipe >

Tuna Melt Sandwich

The diner classic is easy to master with a few key ingredients—and a generous helping of cheese. Get the recipe >

Waffle Sandwiches with Cecina, Avocado, and Arugula

This all-day-appropriate sandwich was born out of the staff meal at Mokonuts in Paris. Crisp and airy leftover waffles are griddled around cecina (a smoky cured beef from Spain), melty cheese, arugula, and avocado. Get the recipe >

Medianoche Sandwich

A medianoche (literally “middle of the night”) is the kind of sandwich you eat after hours of partying in Miami’s Cuban dance clubs. With roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles, it’s almost identical to a Cuban sandwich, save for the sweet and eggy bread. Get the recipe >

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Croque Madame

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:13 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY LAURA SAMPEDRO

The croque monsieur, the classic French ham and cheese sandwich covered in silky béchamel, becomes a croque madame when a fried egg is placed on top. This croque madame recipe first appeared in our April 2011 Special Sandwich Issue alongside author Alexander Lobrano’s article “Classic Combination: Ham and Cheese.”

Yield: 6

Time: 30 minutes

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
3½ cups (12 oz.) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese, divided
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
Twelve ¾-in. slices pain de mie or other white Pullman bread, toasted
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
12 thin slices baked ham
2 Tbsp. canola oil
6 large eggs

Instructions

In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter. When the foam begins to subside, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring continuously, just until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring to a full boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook at a gentle simmer until the sauce thickens, 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat, whisk in ½ cup of the grated Gruyère and all of the Parmesan until smooth. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
Preheat the broiler to high. Place 6 slices of toast on a foil-lined baking sheet, and spread 1 tablespoon of mustard over each slice. Top each with 2 slices of ham and the remaining Gruyère. Broil just until the cheese begins to melt, 1–2 minutes. Top with the remaining bread slices, then distribute the béchamel evenly over the sandwiches. Broil until the sauce is bubbling and evenly browned, 1–4 minutes (Keep a close eye on the croques as they cook; depending on the configuration of your broiler, the sauce can scorch very quickly).
Meanwhile, to a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and cook until the whites are cooked but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Remove the sandwiches from the broiler, place an egg atop each, and serve hot with knives and forks.

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Monte Cristo Sandwich

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:46:21 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

People have strong opinions about the Monte Cristo sandwich, a double-decker of Swiss cheese, ham, and chicken or turkey, which is battered, fried, dusted with confectioners sugar, and served with a side of tart red jelly. Some consider it a marvel; others, an absurdity. Divisiveness aside, the perfect Monte Cristo recipe is an impressive one; the resulting sandwich is a stunning creation, requiring a knife and fork at the table. This recipe ran alongside Carolynn Carreño’s 1998 article, “Fried Nirvana?“

Yield: 2

Time: 20 minutes

2 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
6 thin slices white bread
4 thin slices cooked turkey
4 thin slices cooked ham
4 thin slices Swiss cheese
Confectioners sugar, for garnish (optional)
Red currant jelly, for serving

Instructions

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk; season lightly with salt and black pepper and set aside.
For each sandwich, lightly butter 3 slices of bread on both sides (using a total of about 1 tablespoon of the butter). Place 2 slices each of turkey and ham between 2 slices of bread. Top with 2 slices of cheese, and then top with a third slice of buttered bread. Trim crusts, secure with toothpicks, and cut in half on the diagonal. Repeat with the remaining bread, turkey, ham, and cheese.
In a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Dip the sandwich halves in the reserved egg-milk mixture to coat. When the melted butter foams, place the sandwiches in the skillet and cook until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, flip the sandwiches, and continue cooking until browned on the other side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the sandwiches to 2 plates, sprinkle with confectioners sugar (if desired), and serve hot with red currant jelly on the side.

See all 150 classic recipes featured in our 150th issue »

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Adjaruli Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)

Kat Craddock — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:21:36 +0000

Matt Taylor-Gross

Filled with a runny egg and melted cheese—traditionally a mix of imeruli and sulguni—this traditional Georgian khachapuri recipe from the Black Sea region of Adjara is best eaten hot. We find that a blend of low moisture mozzarella and strong, tart feta gets you close to the traditional version. To eat, tear off pieces the crust and dunk them into the well of molten cheese, egg, and butter.

Yield: 4

Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough

1 ¹⁄₃ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for greasing and brushing
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. kosher salt
³⁄₄ tsp. instant dry yeast
¹⁄₄ tsp. sugar

For the filling

3 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (12 oz.)
1 ¹⁄₄ cups crumbled feta cheese (8 oz.)
2 large eggs, or more as needed
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

Place a pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500°F. Meanwhile, lightly oil a large bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, olive oil, and 2⁄3 cup tepid water, the flour, and salt. Mix on the lowest speed until the dry ingredients are completely hydrated, 2–3 minutes, then increase to medium-low speed and mix until a smooth, wet dough comes together, 3–4 minutes.
Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl and cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Set in a warm place until the dough has almost doubled in size, 50–60 minutes.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and set aside.
Crack the eggs gently into a separate small bowl (if the yolks break, start over).
Onto a lightly floured work surface, turn out the dough. Divide into two roughly 6-ounce pieces and round each piece gently. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
On a piece of lightly floured parchment paper, roll half of dough into a 10-inch circle about 1⁄8 inch thick. Spread a quarter of the cheese mixture (about 5 ounces) over the dough, leaving a 1⁄2-inch border all the way around. On one side of the circle, tightly roll the dough about a third of the way toward the center. Repeat on the opposite end, leaving a 2–3-inch-wide space between the two rolls. Pinch the two narrow ends of the rolls together and twist twice to seal, making a boat shape; place another quarter of the cheese mixture in the middle, packing down lightly.
Keeping the khachapuri atop the paper, gently slide onto a pizza peel or overturned baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and cheese. Set the khachapuri aside, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until slightly puffed.
Just before baking, brush the edges of the khachapuri lightly with olive oil, then slide the breads (with the paper) onto the stone, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Bake until the dough is light golden brown and the cheese is melted, 14–16 minutes. Open the oven door and gently pour 1 egg into the center of each boat, being careful not to bread the yolks. Close the oven and continue baking until the whites are just set, 3–4 minutes.
Remove from the oven and dollop the butter evenly on top of the two breads. Serve hot.

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The Fluffiest White Bread in the World

Kat Craddock — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:27:06 +0000

MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

In spite of plenty of snobbery, tender white bread remains a beloved staple of cuisines all around the world. Editorial director (and ex-professional bread baker) Kat Craddock’s version is aerated and fluffy like North American packaged loaves, but with the enriched chew and structure of French pain au lait. She also borrowed a shaping technique from Japanese and Taiwanese bakers, which results in a delicate, feathery crumb. The result: an ethereally fluffy, generously buttery, and delightfully squishable loaf.

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Featured In: How to Make the Fluffiest White Bread in the World

Yield: 6–8

Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

1 large egg
²⁄₃ cup (160 g.) whole milk at room temperature (about 75°), plus more for brushing
3 tbsp. (40 g.) slightly warmed water (about 85°F)
2 ¹⁄₃ cups plus 1 Tbsp. (340 g.) bread flour
¹⁄₄ cup plus 1 tsp. (60 g.) sugar
1 ¹⁄₄ tsp. (4 g.) instant dry yeast
2 tsp. (6 g.) kosher salt
¹⁄₄ cup (60 g.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Nonstick baking spray, or a neutral-flavored oil, for greasing

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the egg, milk, water, flour, sugar, yeast, and salt; beat on the lowest speed until a dough begins to form, about 3 minutes. Raise the mixer to the second speed and beat 4 minutes more. (The dough should be smooth and quite sticky). Lower the speed, add the butter, and mix 12 minutes more, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the hook and bowl as necessary.
Lightly grease a medium bowl with nonstick spray, then add the dough. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature until significantly puffed (but not necessarily doubled in volume), about 90 minutes.
Lightly grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, then line with parchment paper. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the parchment paper with more spray.
On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 3 (220-gram) pieces and lightly round them all. Cover the pieces with a clean towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Roll one piece into an 11×6-inch rectangle. Fold the two short ends of the rectangle in to meet each other. With the seam side facing up and starting from one of the dough’s shorter ends, roll the resulting rectangle up into a tight cylinder. Set aside, then repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
Transfer the dough pieces crosswise into the prepared loaf pan, being sure to space them evenly.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Meanwhile, lightly cover the loaf with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is just peeking over the rim of the pan, 60-75 minutes. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and brush with milk. Bake until evenly dark golden brown, 35-40 minutes.
Remove and let cool for 15 minutes before using the parchment paper to lift the white bread out of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour, before slicing.

More Bread Recipes

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Crackly Lemon-Rosemary Focaccia

SAVEUR Editors — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:00:00 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

As focaccia evolved in Italy, across the Atlantic, Italian American bakers were making their own versions, riffing on the recipes from the Mother Country with toppings that would’ve been novel in the bread’s homeland. The 1990s, as many of you will recall, were a simpler time for focaccia. Most of it was spongy and rosemary-perfumed à la Macaroni Grill. The bread was a gateway to a world of Italian flatbreads Americans are still discovering. This version, a happy middle ground between Italy and America, tops a Ligurian-style dough with nontraditional lemon slices.

This recipe is adapted from a version served by the late, great Marcella Hazan, which ran alongside Kathleen Brennan’s 2001 story, “Memory: Steeped in centuries of symbolism and tradition, rosemary is a hardy, aromatic and intensely flavorful ingredient, virtually impossible to forget. ”

Featured in “How ‘Italian’ Is Rosemary Focaccia, Anyway?”

Yield: One 12-in. loaf

Time: 4 hours 40 minutes

1 tsp. dry instant yeast (not active dry)
4 cup (1 lb. 3 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 Tbsp. (¼ oz.) fine sea salt
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing
½ cup fresh rosemary leaves (from about 8 sprigs), divided
1 medium, thin-skinned lemon, washed, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed
Medium-coarse or flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, dissolve the yeast in 1¾ cups room temperature water. Add the flour and mix on low speed just until all of the flour is hydrated and a shaggy dough begins to form, 1–2 minutes. Turn off the mixer, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside for 30 minutes (this allows the flour to hydrate and gluten to begin to form gently while the yeast activates).
Measure ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the rosemary leaves and coarsely chop. Set the remaining 2 tablespoons of unchopped leaves aside for topping.
Uncover the bowl, add the salt and 2 tablespoons of the oil, and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, 3–4 minutes. Turn the mixer to second speed and mix until the dough is smooth and shiny, 3–4 minutes more. Turn the mixer back down to low, add the chopped rosemary, and continue mixing just until the leaves are evenly distributed, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer.
Lightly flour a clean work surface, turn the dough out onto it, and form into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a large, clean bowl, place the dough in it, and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Set aside to rise in a warm place until the dough is puffed, gassy, and not quite doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Grease a 9- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet or cake pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and press down to an even layer (the dough won’t yet reach the edges of the pan.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside until puffed and bubbly, about 1 hour.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Uncover the dough and use your fingertips to lightly dimple and stretch it until it reaches the edges of the pan. Arrange the lemon slices and remaining 2 tablespoons of the rosemary evenly over the surface, pressing the lemon slices down gently to adhere. Brush with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle to taste with coarse or flakey salt, and bake until golden, 35–40 minutes.

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Clams in Sherry Sauce (Almejas a la Gaditana)

Alexander Lobrano — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:34:24 +0000

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Olivia Mack McCool; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

Food and travel writer Alexander Lobrano serves this classic Andalusian seafood dish with lots of crusty bread to soak up the piquant broth. For him it captured the enticements of the port city of Cadiz and the treasures to be found in its central Mercado Central de Abastos. This recipe first appeared in our December 2012 issue along with Alexander Lobrano’s story My Spanish Sanctuary.

Yield: serves 4-6

Time: 25 minutes

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 lb. small clams, such as littlenecks, scrubbed clean (about 3 dozen)
1 cup dry white wine
½ cups dry sherry
¼ cups finely chopped parsley
2 small red bird’s eye chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Country bread, for serving

Instructions

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the clams, wine, sherry, parsley, and chiles; season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook, covered, until the clams open, about 12 minutes. Uncover the pan and discard any clams that don’t open; taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with slices of crunchy country bread on the side.

Our Best Clam Recipes to Get You Chowdering Down

Photography by Jenny Huang

There are so many ways to enjoy clams: steamed, fried, cooked into chowder or pasta, you name it >

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