Chestnut Spoon Bread With Fontina Cheese Food

CHESTNUT SPOON BREAD WITH FONTINA CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add chestnuts and thyme. Sauté until heated through, breaking chestnuts into 1/2-inch pieces with back of spoon, about 4 minutes. Bring milk just to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add salt, then gradually whisk in pasta flour. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until mixture is very thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add remaining 6 tablespoons butter, then 1 cup cheese, whisking until cheese melts. Whisk in egg yolks 1 at a time; stir in chestnuts. Beat egg whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into warm flour mixture in 2 additions. Transfer to prepared dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake spoon bread until puffed and beginning to brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; serve warm.
• *Available at specialty foods stores, Italian markets, and some supermarkets.

BRUSCHETTA WITH FONTINA AND GREENS

Steps:

• For the toasts: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic. Set aside.
• For the topping: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/2 of the spinach and stir until it begins to wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. Using tongs, arrange the spinach on top of the toasts. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Season with salt and cool for 2 minutes.
• Transfer the bruschetta to a platter and serve.

GARLIC FONTINA BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, shortening, garlic powder, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Stir in 1-1/2 cups cheese., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°., Punch dough down. Shape into 2 loaves. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Brush with oil and sprinkle with remaining cheese., Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

WILLIAM-SONOMA'S GRILLED FONTINA SANDWICHES WITH PROSCIUTTO AND

Steps:

• First, clarify the butter: Melt the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over very low heat, watching carefully so it does not burn. Remove from the heat and let stand briefly.
• Using a spoon, skim off and discard the foam from the surface.
• Carefully pour off the clear yellow liquid into a bowl.
• Discard the milky solids left behind in the pan.
• Lay 6 slices of the bread on a work surface and top evenly with the cheese, 1 slice of prosciutto and the pear slices. Top with the remaining bread.
• Brush a wide sauté pan or stovetop grill pan generously with the clarified butter and warm over medium heat.
• When it is hot, place as many sandwiches as will fit in the pan without crowding and weight them down with a pan lid.
• Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 4 minutes.
• Adding more butter as needed, carefully flip the sandwiches, replace the lid, and cook on the other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes more. The cheese will have melted.
• Remove the sandwiches from the pan and keep warm.
• Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
• Cut each sandwich in half and serve warm.

FONTINA STUFFED FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• In small skillet, sauté onion in oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. In medium bowl, toss sautéed onions with peppers, parsley, thyme, fontina cheese and ham. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To hollow rolls, cut off one end and set aside. Using a thin bladed knife, gently cut the center out of each bread, leaving 3/8 inches around the edge.
• Use a small spoon to scrape out inside bread and discard. Stuff 1/4 filling mixture into the rolls by using the end of a wooden spoon to gently push filling into bread. Replace cut-off end and wrap each bread with foil, leaving open on top.
• Place stuffed breads on baking sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until bread is crisp and filling is warm. Slice with a good serrated bread knife (so you don't smoosh it) and serve.