No-Knead Bread

Posted on May 9, 2013 by A Cook's Canvas

If you enjoyed my last post about German breads and would like to try baking bread yourself, why not start with this easy no-knead bread recipe? I’ve always been intimidated by the idea of baking my own bread, I thought this was too deep of a subject for dabbling, and only a serious baker could produce something with the crunchy crust and chewy, elastic interior of a nice loaf of bread. Also, working with yeast can be tricky and if the temperatures aren’t carefully controlled the yeast will either be killed by too warm a temperature or fail to bubble at all if the temperature is too low. The fact is, this recipe is so easy even a child could make it. No sticky dough covered hands, no need for precisely measured ingredients, and best of all – no back-breaking kneading (though I should point out that kneading dough is a great stress reliever, and builds your chef muscles!) You need only one bowl, 4 ingredients, a few stirs with a wooden spoon, and patience to watch it rise.
Most recipes call for the dough to rise 12-14 hours, or even overnight. This recipe was originally created by Jim Lahey, founder of the Sullivan Street Bakery in New York City, and calls for leaving it to rise overnight. Jim Lahey technique simply relies on yeast fermentation instead of the usual stretching and punching of dough. Handle the dough gently as overworking it will bust the gas bubbles. This technique alone makes it possible for amateur cooks to make store-quality loaves, crust and crumb with little fuss. Mark Bittman of the New York Times adapted it, cutting the rising time down to 12 hours, but I’ve found that you can reduce the rising time down to 3-4 hours and still produce a great loaf, although the longer you let it rise, the more tangy sourdough flavor it will develop.
Of course you could just as easily hop in your car and head to your local bakery to pick up a loaf but have you ever experienced the joy of freshly baked bread coming out of your very own oven? The smell will have you standing impatiently in front of your oven waiting for the timer to go off. The crunchy sound of the golden crust as you slice the first piece and the steaming interior will have you taking the first bite without butter or jam, and and the taste makes it hard to resist eating a second slice.

This recipe is a cross between a rustic country bread and a sourdough. The interior has a chewy and spongy texture with large holes and pillow-like interior is perfect. Add a swipe of salted butter and you are transported to a rustic country bakery. Sound too good to be true? Try it… and you’ll see.

No-Knead Bread
makes 1 loaf

3 cups bread flour (In Germany choose 550 or white all purpose flour will do as well)
3/4 teaspoon yeast (I used instant but you can certainly use fresh)
1-1/4 teaspoon himalayan or sea salt
1-1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees | 232 celsius

Add flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water (between lukewarm and hot, 90-100f or 32-38c, be careful: too hot or too cool and the yeast won’t work) and mix. This should take about 3 minutes and leave you with a thick, goopy dough. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and leave it in the warmest spot in your house (It doesn’t necessarily need to be your kitchen). Let it sit for 3-4 hours until dough has doubled in size.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle flour on it. Knead two or three times to form it into a ball. Coat with a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking, and place back into the bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes covered.

Pre-heat oven to 450°F. Place a dutch oven (cast iron, steel, enamelware, Pyrex or ceramic) with the lid on in the oven and allow to heat up for 15 minutes. Uncover the dough just before placing it carefully into the heated pot. You will hear a sizzle, this forms a crust on the bottom of the loaf. Cover the pot with a lid and bake undisturbed for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 15-20 minutes until it’s beautifully browned on top. Remove pot from oven and carefully shake to loosen the loaf before tipping it out onto the counter, then cool on a wire rack.

German Breads

Posted on May 8, 2013 by A Cook's Canvas

I was never really that ‘into’ bread before I went to Germany. I liked bread of course, but I hadn’t really ever thought much about it beyond making toast in the morning or spread with butter at the dinner table. More often I would choose other carbs such as pasta, potatoes, or crackers and snack pretzels over bread. When we first arrived in Germany we would walk past the little bakeries on every street and smell the wonderful aroma of bread baking, which drew us right inside to see what they were making. First we discovered the big soft pretzels and flaky croissants but my American sweet tooth quickly drew me into the sweeter pastries like berliners (German jelly doughnuts) and apfel or quarktaschen (apple and cream cheese pockets). It wasn’t until we tried a traditional swabian breakfast at a little cafe that we discovered how tasty all the different breads were!

A typical German breakfast (known as ‘Frühstück’) commonly consists of assorted sliced breads (brot), croissant, and rolls (brötchen or ‘little bread’) accompanied by a plate of assorted cheeses such as aromatic Bergkäse (strong-smelling ‘mountain cheese’), milder ‘Swiss’ cheeses like Emmentaler and Tilsiter, and soft, ripe French cheeses like Camembert and Brie; and an assortment of cured, sliced deli meats such as ham, salami, and smoked salmon (lachs). In addition, there are various jams (Konfitüre), marmalade honey, hard-boiled eggs, and (often strong) coffee or tea. Sounds like lot of little things but it adds up to a hearty and filling meal that will easily tide you over until lunchtime (‘mittagessen’, a compound word mit-tag-essen, or mid-day-food) which offers yet more bread choices!

To Germans, proper bread has a good crust and hearty flavor; bland wonder bread is strictly reserved for the toaster (they call it toastbrot). And in many ways, their breads are what defines them. They pride themselves on producing the largest variety of breads worldwide. More than 16,000 local bakeries across Germany bake over 300 types of bread each and every day, each tailoring its recipes to suit local tastes, alongside more than 1,000 types of small bread-rolls and pastries. At the 2005 bread expo in Cologne, there were more than 1,000 distinct varieties presented. Germans are worldwide the biggest consumers (per capita) of bread, followed by Chile.[31] In my experience, Americans are just not a bread-eating nation, and when they eat bread, it is typically white and smooth and found on a shelf in a grocery store.

A few minutes after ordering, a basket of assorted breads and rolls arrived at our table including some topped with pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds, others had oats baked into the crust, and some crusted with flour which had turned golden in the oven. Which did I choose? Tough choice but I reach for the pumpkin seed roll. Pumpkin seeds you ask? In the States you would have a hard time finding bread like this, and I sure haven’t found them locally. As I pulled apart the crusty, dark roll, I pinched off a piece to try by itself before adding butter, cheese, or jam. I can only describe it with one word: Lecker! (Delicious!). Who knew! I grabbed my knife, smeared it with a little chive-seasoned cream cheese and topped it with a slice of smoked salmon. What a wonderful way to start the day! I didn’t realize it at that moment, but breakfast for me was changed forever. This was perhaps the first step in adapting to German food culture.

One morning, I headed to the bakery (bäckerei) on my own, determined to complete my order only in German, and pick out as many breads as I could by name. This was very difficult at first, as the names are very often old-fashioned local slang, in the swabian dialect, and can be very dificult to pronounce. Most of their recipes have been passed down from generation to generation and the yeast cultures themselves, which leaven the bread, can be centuries old and are cherished as they are handed down to the next generation of bakers. Although the variety and quality standards are very very high, these artisinal loaves are so plentiful in Germany that they are still quite inexpensive. A large, 2-pound loaf of fresh, crusty bread costs around $2-3, depending on the grains used, and there is a large assortment to choose from in various shapes, sizes, flavors and colors. Loaves are offered in every shade from light to dark, and many are made with seeds, nuts, and whole grains. This competition has limited the price of a loaf of sliced white bread in the grocery store to around $1. After a few moments of looking around I chose the milchbrot (milk bread), kartoffelbrot (potato bread), and Roggenmischbrot (rye-wheat bread). Typically, you buy a loaf of bread and it would last you a day or two before drying out, so the baker seemed a bit puzzled as she wrapped up my three loaves and handed them to me over the counter. It was time to head home and get down to business.

When I arrived home I laid out my new loaves on the table with a cutting board, sharp bread knife, and some tasting additions like butter, sea salt, cream cheese, and a package of smoked salmon. I sat down with all three loaves in front of me and decided to try the milchbrot first. This bread was golden on the outside, and light and airy on the inside. It was something like a brioche. This one I tried by itself with nothing on it, and it was delicious, and would probably be even tastier with a smear of marmalade and seemed to me a perfect breakfast bread. Next was the kartoffelbrot. This one was baked in parchment inside a little wooden basket and anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for beautiful packaging. I sliced a piece off the end of this crispy, dark bread and tasted it. I found it was tangy, with a crunchy crust and tender in the center, and my favorite so far. This would be really great with my favorite spread, a French butter knob that has crunchy crystals of sea salt churned right into it. The last one was the roggenmischbrot. This long, oval, golden bread was crispy at the ends and soft toward the middle. This one is a little sour, tangy and hearty. Delicious as well, especially with a smear of cream cheese, lachs and a sprinkle of sea salt.

If you’re ever in Germany, no matter where you choose to visit, be sure to stop by one of the many local bakeries and sample a few for yourself. And don’t fight the urge to smuggle back a loaf or two in your suitcase…

*Note: Bread photos are in order as described.
31:^ “Bread, which is loved, by our neighbors”. Retrieved April 6, 2013.

A day at the market – Esslingen am Neckar Marktplatz

Posted on April 20, 2013 by A Cook's Canvas

Well, hello friends! I’ve missed writing to you. I’ve missed my ritual of brainstorming recipes, shopping for ingredients, cooking, baking, shooting photos and then writing to you about it. We’ve been in Chicago a little over three weeks now and it still seems like yesterday that we said goodbye to our life in Germany and hello again to our friends and family here at home. We were living in an almost empty house surrounded by stacks of boxes, frantically selling everything we couldn’t take with, basically all of our furniture, appliances, and electronics… all the way down to (and including!) the kitchen sink.

We had such a long list of so many things we needed to take care of in preparation for our move back that it kept us constantly busy and tense, worried that something would be forgotten or go horribly wrong. Everything went as planned and we’re happy to be back near our family and friends but now we have this anxious feeling about starting our next “list”. Finding new jobs, a new apartment, opening a new bank account, locating a good vet, choosing a cell provider, etc… While unpacking my suitcase I found my little notebook with my notes from “A Trip to the Farmer’s Market”, a post I had been working on but never had the chance to share with you, and I thought that it’s still not too late. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. A day at the market – Esslingen Marktplatz

Life here in southern Germany is pleasantly simple. There is a rhythm to life that we never seemed to pick up on in Chicago. The Germans enjoy their routines, and today is one of the twice-weekly market days in Esslingen. I’m standing at the edge of the market square watching the women walk by with their wicker baskets ready to buy their eggs, cheese, meat and produce for the week. Shoppers hover over tables of produce, greeting their favorite sellers and standing shoulder to shoulder, leaving only tiny gaps between them which I squeeze through to grab a few sweet potatoes from a vendor who weighs them in an old copper pail. For a brief moment I’m sure this is all I want but I catch a glimpse of a large, perfectly green head of cabbage that I just can’t pass up, so I buy one. I pack the sweet potatoes and cabbage in my bag as a whiff of fresh bread wafting over from the next stall entices me…

A stop at the local bakery is the typical start to every German’s day. Every morning you can see people walking to their jobs carrying small paper sacks from the bakery, chewing on fresh baked pretzels, pastry, or croissants. Sounds a little weird I know, but I also have a weakness for warm, freshly baked bread. I always end up buying a loaf or two. There are so many kinds of bread here, light, dark, round, oval, long and skinny, short and fat. Baked from a dizzying variety of grains, some of the most popular breakfast breads have pumpkin and sunflower seeds baked in with still more seeds clinging to the crust. We never really settled on one favorite type but it didn’t matter, they were all good. Satisfying rustic loaves that are crunchy on the outside yet tender on the inside. As I grab a stone-oven baguette I gently squeeze the loaf and listen for the crunchy sound it makes. A fresh baguette with a still crunchy crust will have a soft pillow-like texture inside. A few hours after baking the crust absorbs moisture from the interior, giving both the crust and the center a chewy texture, still tasty but past its best. These two particular loaves have passed the test and it takes all I have not to break a piece off as I walk along. A few minutes later I realize I need something to eat with my new bread. Should I find a creamy spread, or some olive oil-soaked sun dried tomatoes, or a soft cheese and some fresh chives… or all the above?
esslingen am neckar market 6

After I buy everything I need, I head to the nearest bakery to grab a bite to eat because my morning at the market has made me hungry. I walk into a little bakery and now it’s decision time. The pastries here in Germany are not quite as sweet as the ones in the States but they are good in their own way. German bakeries take pride in their bread and pastries and sometimes you find a special old bakery where you can peek into the kitchen and see one or two bakers, one of which is probably the owner. The ladies working in the front are normally the wife and relatives of the baker. Admiring the baked goods on display I wonder if I should pick one of my favorites; a light and flaky apfeltasche (apple turnover), a sticky sweet rosinenschnecke (raisin snail!?), or a creamy quarktasche (something like a cottage cheese pocket). Today, the flaky layered croissants catch my eye. Resisting the urge to look up at the row of delicious breads straight ahead, I keep my head bowed and order a croissant and a small coffee because, well, you can never go wrong with a buttery croissant. The outside is golden and flaky, crunchy and tender. It’s wonderful just as I expected.

Sitting by a window I notice a woman across the street opening her shutters, latching them in place on either side of the window, just as she certainly does every morning. I couldn’t handle living that close to a bakery, I just wouldn’t be able to control myself especially in the early morning when the scent of freshly baked breads and pastries are wafting in through the open windows.

I start thinking again of how the pace of life here just makes sense, no hustle and bustle getting from here to there, nobody stressed about schedules and meetings, everyone seems to meander along the cobblestone streets, taking their time to get where they are going. In the afternoon there are families walking along, dad pushing the baby carriage while mom holds the hand of one or two small children while a three year old, fully independent, trails a few feet behind, no need for the plastic wrist leash that seem to be so common here in the States. Two old men are enjoying their lattes with soft pretzels while laughing and people watching. Just then, one of them finishes their latte, and with a long slender spoon scoops up the last of the frothy milk that is left in the bottom of the glass. The slow, leisurely pace of life here is satisfying. Every bit as fulfilling as the noisy life we knew in Chicago.

Auf Wiedersehen

Posted on March 20, 2013 by A Cook's Canvas

Hello Friends, I have been fairly quiet here on my blog these last few weeks but for a very very good reason. The winds of change are blowing and after four years of living abroad in southern Germany, we are moving back to Chicago. It has taken all our time and energies to sort through our feelings as well as our belongings. We are excited to get back home but at the same time we are sad to be leaving Germany and especially our new home in Esslingen. And it has all happened in a very short period of time, we will be flying back at the end of the month.
acookscanvas_auf wiedersehen

When we first arrived here we had no idea how hard it was going to be. Learning the ropes has meant discovering by trial and frequent error that there are many, many differences between life in Germany and life in the US. In addition to learning a new language, telling time in 24 hour format (what we call military time), how to dress when its 17 degrees outside (sounds cold to us but in celsius that’s quite pleasant) we also had to learn a million little things, like recycling every scrap of everything we throw away, in color coded bins which get picked up by assorted trucks on varying schedules. Every scrap of food is composted, every piece of paper, every can, bottle, plastic tub, and tetra pack has its proper place. But we also had to adjust to a new culture. There are huge differences in the way people interact, and its not always as easy to communicate as simply repeating some previously studied words.

Then there was homesickness, which creep up on you at times, and I’ll be the first to admit that I had severe bouts of homesickness which over the past couple years have gotten fewer and farther between. In the last two years we adapted quite nicely to life here, and we will miss our routine. Waking up in the morning and riding my bike to the market a few times a week is so much more enjoyable than driving to a supermarket and filling the trunk with 2 weeks worth of food. Riding home through the old vineyards was much more scenic than driving past strip malls and superstores. One of the highlights of my day was packing up lunch and meeting my husband at his office, and walking together to the river where we would sit on a park bench and enjoy our lunch before grabbing a scoop of ice cream. I really love our lunchtimes together.

acookscanvas_auf wiedersehen5_copyright2012-2013_2 copy As I think back over the last four years I realize that we have come a long way and if I could go back to the day Jason asked me what I thought about moving to Germany, this is what I would say to myself.

“This is a great opportunity for both of you. You will learn new things about yourselves and you will grow from that and it will make you stronger. There will be lots of great times that you will always remember. Silly times you will always laugh about. Those special moments when you wish you could freeze time. You will visit many countries and experience their cultures, and you will learn a lot about European cuisine, and pick up new tastes and develop new habits. You will learn how to live a simpler life, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and take time to experience things properly, a life without the need to take your blackberry to bed at night. You and Jason will learn that even after thirteen years together, there is still much to learn about each other You will grow even closer even though you can’t imagine how that is possible. So say yes, go live in Germany, because it will be worth it. There will certainly be hard times but it will be worth it.”

Many years ago in our tiny Chicago apartment we ordered Chinese take-out and one of the fortune cookie fortune said “You will set foot on the soil of many nations” which of course at that time seemed far-fetched but sounded nice. Now maybe a decade later, it has come to be true.

Today the sun is shining and as I’m looking out the window across the valley I realize how much I will miss the beauty of this place, the many times Jason and I sat on the boat dock across the street and sailed his model boats while soaking up the sun and sharing a bottle of wine, or enjoying a little picnic. I will miss our favorite bakeries, and the nice people we’ve gotten to know who work at the farmer’s market, even the waiters at our favorite Italian bistro, who always wave to us when we walk past. But most of all.. we will miss our friends.

There are still many boxes left to pack and all of the little details that have to be dealt with before an international move. We are looking forward to being close to our families and friends again and also to our next adventure, whatever that may be. But I promise you, once we are settled in you will hear from me again and until then, follow me on Facebook for small conversation.

Auf Wiedersehen Esslingen. We will always remember our time here and we will certainly come back to visit…

*Note: In the first image our home is the yellow house peeking out through the trees in the center right. The one off by itself.

A S’more Dessert Martini

Posted on February 15, 2013 by A Cook's Canvas

On Valentine’s day I met my husband at his office and we went to one of our favorite restaurants in town for hot tomato soup and herbed bread. Afterwards, we went to the grocery store for a few things and after he saw me pick up a package of chocolate covered butter cookies, then a bag of marshmallows he asked excitedly “Are you making s’mores!?!” I simply replied with “You’ll see.” I walked him back to his office, we said our goodbyes as I rode off. Turning back to catch a final glimpse of him before rounding the corner, I saw him waving and yelling “Goodbye my looooove!” Luckily nothing and no one was in front of me while I was looking back to catch one last glimpse.
I saw somewhere online the idea of making love s’mores with marshmallows shaped like hearts, but here in Germany they don’t sell those. Since I’m always trying to tweak what I do have to make something new. I bought a bag of regular marshmallows and thought I could cut them into heart shapes with a knife, but the marshmallows did not cooperate. I needed to come up with a plan B.
Why hadn’t I just baked a cake? Or a batch of his favorite cookies? Ideas started whirling through my mind. He loves chocolate pudding, which we have. We have the cookies and the marshmallows I’d just bought. Hmmm… I took the cookies covered on one side with chocolate and I chopped them up roughly. I mixed up the pudding according to the package directions, and let that set up a bit in the fridge. I suddenly remembered that we had 2 jars of marshmallow fluff that we bought at a local shop during their annual “American Food” week. During this magical week we can buy Campbell’s tomato soup, Hunt’s BBQ sauce, French’s mustard, and Marshmallow Fluff, along with peculiar “American” favorites like blueberry juice and boxes of donut mix. I grabbed a jar from the shelf and wondered if this would work better than shaping marshmallows.

That evening, after we had dinner at a local wine and steak bar, we arrived home and I told him not to come into the kitchen, I needed 10 minutes to prep something special. As he waited patiently I grabbed a large martini glass, added a bit of the crushed cookies to the bottom, layered with chocolate pudding then carefully placed two spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff into a heart shape on top. I used my kitchen torch to toast the top of the marshmallow heart which gave off the unmistakable scent of roasting marshmallows around a summer campfire. From the next room he called out “What is that smell?!” I grabbed two small spoons and brought the s’more martini into the living room and he asked “Peewee! What did you make?!?” I told him the story I shared with you above and he loved it. The dessert was delicious and a hit!

S’more Dessert Martini
makes 4 servings

2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups of milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 jar of marshmallow fluff
1 box of cookies

Lightly beat the egg yolks in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the cornstarch and cocoa together. Add 1 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. In a saucepan, pour the remaining milk, sugar, salt and mix. Bring to a boil while whisking continuously. Remove from heat and stir in the cornstarch and cocoa mixture using a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Gradually whisk 1 cup of the chocolate sauce into the egg yolks. Pour the egg and chocolate mixture into the pan and stir while cooking over low heat for 2 minutes without boiling. Then remove from heat. Add the vanilla and place either in glasses or in a bowl and refrigerate for an hour.

To prepare the s’more dessert martini

Chop 2 cookies per serving and place into the bottom of each martini glass. Spoon two heaping spoonfuls of the chocolate pudding on top of the chopped cookies, top with two spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff in a V shape. Then, gently shaping the fluff into a shape of a heart. Lastly, toast the top of the marshmallow fluff with a kitchen torch to create the roasted marshmallow smell and flavor. Serve immediately.

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Dough with Homemade Pizza Sauce

Posted on February 13, 2013 by A Cook's Canvas

A few months ago I was having trouble sleeping and for some reason I kept waking up at 4:35am. I didn’t even need to look at the clock to know, I already knew before looking that it was 4:35. What does that mean? It went away for a while but recently it has started up again, this time less precise and I wake up sometime between 3:00 and 4:00am. The house is totally dark and everyone is asleep though Jason is tossing and turning restlessly. One of our cats, Chewy, follows me around from room to room while our other cat Bella (who’s name long pre-dates the vampire novels) sleeps on top of her big stuffed elephant, one eye open, as she glares at me half asleep. I pace the house hoping I will get sleepy again. Outside the window the traffic light blinks yellow and there are no cars, buses, or trains in sight. Its cold, and so I crawl back into bed and lie there waiting to drift off to sleep.This morning, we braved the bitter cold, its -7C (19F), cloudy and windy. On days like this we want to stay in bed savoring the warmth, and leave the storm shutters drawn to block out the bleary grey light, and pull the covers back over our heads. Instead, we bundled up in layers, tied scarves around our necks and pulled on hats and gloves. We have two dutch bicycles. Have I mentioned them before? We don’t own a car here in Germany, whenever we travel we hop on our bicycles and pedal through rain or shine, snow, frost, and streets caked with ice. My bicycle has a wine crate mounted to the back (which my wonderful husband made for me) and this serves as my trunk. That’s where I stow my purse along with empty shopping bags. Every day I head to the grocery store, fill up my crate with whatever strikes me and pedal home to cook the foods you see here.Jason and I have a long-running cold-weather tradition; we like to make homemade pizzas together once or twice a week. Having lived in Chicago we have love Chicago style pizza, and no, not the deep-dish everyone assumes we are talking about. We prefer the much more common thin-crust pie cut into party squares that is typical of south-side pizzerias Over the past 4 years we have made countless pizzas, always adjusting our recipes to make them as close as possible to what we enjoyed back home. Every time one comes out of the oven we try a slice and even though they are always delicious, we talk about next time adding a bit of this, changing a bit of that, and sometimes we come up with something that really hits close to home; “I think we are on to something!”, Jason says.

One of the great things about making your own pizza is that it is a blank canvas waiting for flavors to be added. Meat or meatless, variety of cheeses, perfect vegetables and ripe fruit, delicious, tangy sauces and wonderful spices and nuts. You’ve just re-read the last sentence, haven’t you? Let me paint you a picture to dress up a blank canvas for you. Imagine caramelized onions and apples on top of emmental cheese or a red grape pizza with slivers of prosciutto, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts? Or tandoori chicken with cilantro and red onions? You’re vegetarian? No problem! How about a shaved brussels sprout pizza with porcini mushrooms and red onions, all topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese, lightly drizzled with balsamic vinegar? Or, maybe new potatoes, roasted garlic, caramelized shallots with tarragon, topped with arugula and drizzled with olive oil. One of our favorite pizzas in Chicago had pepperoni, crushed garlic, and pineapple which we would order from a little pizzaria called Tomato Head. And my husband’s favorite is pepperoni pizza from Aurelio’s. Once we made a caramelized red onion and home-made Italian sausage pizza, which was fantastic. We try, with varying success, at re-creating these pizzas, and no matter how it turns out we always enjoy trying new things. Substitute pesto or alfredo for marinara. Maybe toss some feta cheese in with the mozzerella. You can try anything.

My dough recipe makes enough after rising for two large thin-crust pizzas but feel free to adjust it to your liking. If you like thicker crust, don’t roll it out so thin but if you do like thin crust, this one is almost cracker-like when rolled out. We tend to have left-overs but in a few days it’s all gone and soon we start wanting more. Fortunately, the crust doesn’t take too long to make. Another plus is that it doesn’t necessarily need time to rise. After mixing all the ingredients together for the dough, simply add a little flour to your counter and place it on the work surface, then start rolling it out. I however, like to let mine rise for at least two hours, to develop some elasticity.

We don’t usually use prepared pizza sauce from a can, at least not without at least doctoring it up with some fresh herbs and olive oil. Instead we usually make our own sauce starting with canned tomato puree and canned whole or diced tomatoes. There’s something satisfying about making your own sauce, it can be spicy, tart, or sweet as we like it; and lightly seasoned with onion and garlic to very herbal, with lots of fennel, basil, and oregano. Add a whatever seasonings appeal to you, our recipe is easy and fool-proof.

Even though I love to work in the kitchen when the house is quiet and I’m all alone to brainstorm new recipes and play with my food there is one thing I look forward to everyday. At 6:30 every evening there is a light tap on our storm shutters, ‘shave and a hair-cut’, to which I tap back ‘two-bits’ and go to the front door to hit the lock buzzer and there he is arriving home after a day’s work. He gives me a kiss, drops his bag next to the computer, kicks off his shoes off, hangs up his coat with one hand, the other receiving a dirty martini I shook up just a minute before he tapped on the window. I unwrap the already risen dough from the window and meet him in the kitchen, where he is already stirring up a pot of sauce and letting go of the day’s stress. Our kitchen is quite small but it is ours and we love it. Having lived here for a few years we have choreographed our little “dance” routine around the kitchen that is necessary when we cook together. I glide behind him to the sink while he walks in a half circle around me to get to the stove, sometimes gently bumping into one another while meeting up at our small counter to chop and dice the ingredients. We always have fun but the dance of the pizza is the most fun. Even though it’s tiny, I wouldn’t change it, it’s perfect the way it is and the way we are together. I hope you try this recipe and perhaps it will become a part of your family dinner tradition as well.

Homemade Pizza Dough
makes two large thin crust pizzas

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup warm water (35-37c or 95f-98f)

*Herb pizza crust can be made simply by adding some of your favorite spices. We tend to use dried oregano, fennel and garlic powder (as seen in the images above).

Homemade Pizza Sauce
makes enough for three large pizzas

1 14 1/2 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14 1/2 oz can tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon fennel
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
olive oil for drizzling
cornmeal

Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes stirring often to prevent sticking from the sugar and tomatoes. Once sauce is done allow it to cool before placing on your pizza dough.

Preheat the oven to 500°F / 250°C (on convection fan setting)

Mix warm water with the yeast and honey and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy and has a nice foam on top. After the yeast has matured add the salt, olive oil and any spices you are using then mix. Add the flour to the liquid mixture and blend start in the middle and working your way out till the bowl is clean and you are left with a pizza dough ball in the middle. Either turn the dough out immediately on a flour surface and roll out thin or if you are letting it rise, cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for at least two hours in a warm area.

When the dough is ready, punch it down and knead it on a flour surface for a minute or so. Dough will be a bit sticky so make sure you sprinkle flour on top of the dough before kneading. Roll your dough into a log and cut it in half for two pizzas. Whether you’re using a pizza stone or baking sheet prepare either at this point. I use a large baking sheet and place the pizza on baking paper. Roll out the pizza dough as thin as possible. Brush the side with olive oil and gently sprinkle with cornmeal (this is a Chicago staple when it comes to pizza). Place the baking paper on top of the oiled side and gently wrapping the pizza dough off the flour surface flipping the dough till it’s on top of the baking paper. Place on your baking sheet. Spread the base with tomato sauce, add your toppings, and sprinkle with cheese of your choice.

Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until cheese turns golden and crust becomes crisp.

*Our pizza as shown: Pepperoni (that we smuggled back from the States), diced onion and mushrooms with shredded and fresh mozzarella cheeses sprinkled with oregano.

Oven Roasted Tomato Brushetta

Posted on February 9, 2013 by A Cook's Canvas

A little over a year ago I made a new friend. Kara came from Chicago to stay in our village for 2 months while her boyfriend worked on a project with my husband. As it always is in the beginning you talk, ask questions, find out what you have in common. On a whim we decided to tag along with them on a weekend road trip to Prague. Over those few days we got to know them quite well and they are a great couple and lots of fun to be with. On the way back to Germany I made plans to show her around Stuttgart, to visit the shopping district on Königstraße, sample some traditional German cuisine, the delicious pastries, and enjoy a few great German beers. One of the many things we have in common is our taste in beer; although not many women like hefeweizen, she instantly loved it! Most women shy away from the calories and carbs of a wheat beer but it is one of our favorites! We both enjoyed having cocktails and great conversation at an Italian restaurant across from the Esslingen train station. Over the next several weeks we spent a lot of time together talking, joking, cooking together, we watched movies and drank wine, shared deeply personal stories as if we were old friends. She’s a lovely person and an awesome friend.We had them over to our apartment for dinner several times and we laughed and joked as if we had been friends for many years. There was one evening though that stood out in my mind, I made my spinach and ricotta cannelloni with oven-roasted tomato brushetta. I’ve made this meal many times for Jason and he always loves it, but as I put it on the table I realized that her boyfriend Dave is an Italian from Boston and worried that they might not like it. Nervously I waited for their reaction to the first bite, but they both loved it and wanted a second helping! Kara seemed to especially enjoy the roasted tomato bruschetta, warning that “I’m going to eat all of this!” I was very happy that they liked everything and especially pleased that she liked the bruschetta so much. The dinner was perfect.

As their time was drawing to an end, I started thinking about how much time we’d spent together. She has this wonderful energy and when you’re having a bad day… she can spin it around and make you crack a smile. Our last day together, we went to the Italian place by the train station one last time; I knew we were saying goodbye and I didn’t know how long it would be until I saw her again. We said goodbye and with tears in my eyes, I walked one way and she walked the other. We only got to know each other for a short time but have kept in contact since, writing short messages back and forth to say hello. She was one of the people who encouraged me to start this blog, and so today is your day Kara. Happy Birthday girl, the next time I’m in Chicago the first round of cocktails are on me.

Oven Roasted Tomato Brushetta

Ingredients:
1 cup grape tomatoes for each serving
1 small garlic clove, minced
Fresh basil (you can use frozen in a pinch)
drizzle of olive oil (plus more for brushing)
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
a couple pinches of sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 baguette or artisan bread, sliced on the diagonal 1/2 inch thick

Directions:
Preheat oven to 220C/400F

First, toss your grape tomatoes in olive oil, salt, balsamic vinegar and pepper. If you are using frozen basil add it in now. Place them on a sheet pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes have split open. When they have finished, place the tomatoes in a bowl and add your fresh basil (if you didn’t add the frozen earlier).

Slice the baguette and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake the crostini, flipping once until toasty brown, about 20 minutes (10 minutes each side). When the bread is golden, remove from oven and place on a plate or platter. While the bread is still warm, peel the clove of garlic, and rub the freshly cut end onto the toasted bread. This gives it the flavor of garlic without the bitter taste of chunks of raw garlic in your bruschetta. Spoon the roasted tomatoes over a crostini, and gently press down on the tomatoes with a fork to saturate the bread. Top with a few drops of balsalmic vinegar and fresh herbs. I used basil and a sprig of rosemary. You can even add a little fresh parmesan if you’d like. Enjoy!

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