Italian Blts Food

ITALIAN BLTS

Steps:

• In a small skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Layer two bread slices with cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato; top with remaining bread. , Brush outsides of sandwiches with salad dressing. Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Coat sandwiches with bread crumbs; spray with butter-flavored cooking spray., In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches in oil for 2-3 minutes on each side or until bread is lightly browned.

BLT PASTA SKILLET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
• Meanwhile, lay the bacon in a large ovenproof skillet and cook over medium heat until brown and slightly crispy, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings. Break up the bacon into bite-size pieces.
• Return the skillet to medium heat, add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and juices, reserved pasta water, crushed red pepper, basil, escarole and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens and the escarole wilts, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Mix together the ricotta and Parmesan. Add the cooked pasta and mozzarella to the sauce and stir to thoroughly coat. Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta-Parmesan mixture on top. Sprinkle with the bacon pieces and bake until bubbly and the cheese melts, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with additional basil if using.

ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• In large bowl thoroughly mix 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast.
• Add butter.
• Gradually add warm water to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes with mixer at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Add 3/4 cup flour.
• Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes).
• Cover dough with plastic wrap and then a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• To make loaves: Divide dough in half.
• Roll each half into a 15x10 inch rectangle.
• Starting at wide side, roll up tightly; pinch seam to seal.
• Taper ends by rolling gently back and forth.
• To make rolls: Divide dough into 6 equal pieces.
• Roll each piece into a rectangle 8x5 inches.
• Starting with wide side, roll up tightly; pinch seam to seal.
• Taper ends.
• Place the shaped dough seam side down on greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Brush dough with oil.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-24 hours.
• When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and uncover carefully.
• Let dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Make 3 or 4 diagonal slits in dough with a sharp knife or razor blade.
• Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes for rolls, 20 minutes for loaves.
• Remove from oven and brush with egg white beaten with cold water.
• Return to oven; bake 5-10 minutes longer, or until golden.
• **Note: I sometimes add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (adjust amounts to your preferences) of dried oregano OR basil OR rosemary to the dry ingredients.
• Sometimes I also add 1 bulb (head) of roasted garlic cloves to the dry ingredients.
• To roast garlic: Peel as much of the outer skin away as possible, leaving the cloves unpeeled and the head intact (optional: trim the tips of the cloves off to expose the"meat" to the oil).
• Place head (s) in covered casserole or on a piece of heavy aluminum foil.
• Drizzle with olive oil, and bake covered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (mine takes over an hour in a terra-cotta garlic baker), or until cloves are soft and can be squeezed easily out of their skins.
• Let roasted garlic cool before adding to the flour for the bread.

THE WORLD'S BEST B L T SANDWICH

Steps:

• First make the house dressing, by combining all ingredients in a blender except for the olive oil.
• With the motor running, very slowly drizzle in the olive oil and mix until it is fully combined.
• Under a broiler or on a griddle, lightly toast the inside of the baguette.
• Combine the mayonnaise and pesto.
• Spread the pesto mayonnaise all over the inside of both halves of the baguette.
• Lay the bacon along the length of the bottom half of the bread.
• Lay the tomato slices on top of the bacon and drizzle with the house dressing.
• Fill the remaining cavity with the lettuce leaves.
• Close the sandwich tightly.
• Cut on the diagonal with a sharp serrated knife into 2 to 4 pieces.
• You may need toothpicks to keep the sandwiches together.