Biscotti

3 ¾ cups flour

2 ½ cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 zest of orange or essence

1 zest of lemon or essence

1 T. Baking Powder

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups crushed almonds

1 egg beaten for egg wash

Directions: Toast almonds until lightly browned in 300 degree oven. Mix flour, sugar, eggs, essences, baking powder and vanilla together. Knead slowly until the mixture becomes a firm ball. Do not over knead! Slowly knead the toasted, crushed almonds into the firm dough, until evenly dispersed in the dough. Roll small pieces of dough in fat log shape. Place logs of dough onto greased baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg wash. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Slice with diagonal cut.

Comment: Can play with flavors. Add orange or lemon or chocolate chips and different types of nuts.

Pizza/Focaccia Dough

4-5 cups flour

1 1/3 cup lukewarm water

1 T. dry yeast

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. salt

Directions: Add water, yeast, and honey to a large bowl and let the yeast dissolve, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and start mixing using your hand or a fork. Once the dough has come together, add the olive oil and salt and knead it in the bowl until it becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky but should bounce back when pressed on. (Can you grab/scrunch the dough in your hand and drop it easily to the counter?) Add more flour or water to garner proper consistency. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and leave it to rise for an hour in a warm place. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

For Pizza: Cut dough into pizza-size balls. Turn the ends under to form a ball without touching the top/outer layer for pizza. This adds air to the dough. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes. Take risen dough and flip into Seminole flour to cover both sides, touching it as little as possible. Now, stretch to desired thickness and add desired toppings. Bake.

For Focaccia: Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and, using more flour as you go, shape it into a rectangle using your hands. Transfer the dough to the baking tray with light dusting of Seminole flour on paper. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes. Poke little holds into the dough with your fingers, then drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh rosemary or desired herb of choice. Bake 20-25 minutes. After removing from oven, hit it with another splash of olive oil and dash of sea salt.

Comment: Can make the dough, divide into pizza-size balls, and raise in the refrigerator overnight. It can also be stored in the freezer and thaw a day ahead of use.

Farm French Toast

1 Loaf Challah (egg) bread

8 eggs

2 cups whole milk

½ cup whipping (heavy) cream

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 T. vanilla

Cinnamon

Nutmeg (optional)

Maple syrup.

Directions:  Slice bread into thick pieces.  Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugars, and vanilla.  Heat griddle with melted butter.  While griddle heats, soak toast slices in milk mixture for 30 seconds or so.  Toast on the griddle until each side is golden brown.  While toasting, sprinkle sides with cinnamon to taste.  May add nutmeg as well.  Serve with maple syrup.

Comment:  The better the bread, the better the toast!  This is a breakfast favorite at the farm with a side of bacon.  Yum!

Corn-n- Tomato Tart

Crust:

1¾ cups flour

¼ cup play yellow cornmeal

1½ tsp. kosher salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 large egg

¼ cup buttermilk

Filling:

4 slices tomato (1/4” each), halved

2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1¾ cups fresh corn kernels

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

5 large eggs

5 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

5 T. grated Gruyere cheese

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Garnish: chopped fresh chives, torn fresh basil

Directions:

For Crust. In food processor, pulse together flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add egg and buttermilk; pulse until dough forms a ball. Turn out dough on to a lightly floured surface, and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let dough stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Ona lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 14” circle. Press into bottom and up sides of a greased/floured 11” tart pan (or 9” pie pan). Fold edges under and crimp. Pierce dough all over with a fork. Place tart pan on a baking sheet. With double parchment paper extending over edges, add pie weights. Bake until dough begins to set, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake 5 minutes more. Let cook on wire rack for 15 minutes.

For Filling. Place tomato slices on several paper towels; sprinkle with 1/3 tsp. salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Pat tomatoes dry with paper towels. Spread corn in an even layer in prepared crust. Spread Gruyere cheese over corn. In a large bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, 4 T. parmesan cheese, pepper and remaining 1¾ tsp. salt. Pour onto corn. Arrange tomato slices in a circle on cream mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until center is set about 35 minutes in a tart plan – closer to 45 minutes in a pie pan. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour before serving. Garnish if desired.

Comment: This is like a very-light, summer quiche. Check timing for dough refrigeration, salted tomatoes, tart cooling time, etc.

Banana Buttermilk Bread

butter, for greasing the pan

6 bananas, very ripe

150g (2/3 cup) vegetable oil

200g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp dark rum

2 eggs

75g (1/3 cup) cultured buttermilk or plain yogurt

210g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp fine sea salt

3 tbsp caster sugar

Directions: Heat the oven to 180°c (350 F). Butter and line your loaf tin with baking paper.

Mash up well, 5 ½ bananas, reserving half a banana (cut lengthwise) for the top of the cake.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, vanilla, rum, eggs and buttermilk. Add the mashed banana and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, powder and salt.

Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined and pour into your prepared tin. Smooth the top and place the banana half on top and sprinkle with the caster sugar.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top has become set and starts to caramelize. i sometimes use a kitchen blow torch to help this along.

Comment:  Rich, balanced banana bread, so good. If you haven't already, I highly suggest investing in a cooking/baking scale-it makes clean-up so much easier and is more precise!