Panne Mattone Weighted Bread Food

CHOCOLATE AND WALNUT BREAD PANINI

Steps:

• Slice the walnut bread thin into 8 slices. Heat a large nonstick skillet or a griddle over moderate heat. Butter 1 side of each bread slice, then put 4 slices, buttered side down, on a work surface. Cut chocolate into chunks, thin enough to fit in a sandwich. Place on the bread, cover with another slice of walnut bread and butter the side facing up. Grill on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes each. Serve warm.

DAMN HOT POLENTA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Generously butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish; set aside. In a large bowl, stir the flour, polenta, cheese, scallions, sugar, baking powder, baking, soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until blended; do not over-mix.
• Add 3/4 cup Damn Hot Peppers and then stir in hot sauce, to taste. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and level it with a rubber spatula. Bake until the bread is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 35 minutes. Cool briefly and then cut into squares and serve warm. If not serving immediately, cover with more melted butter to keep moist overnight.
• In a non-reactive saucepan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot add the bell peppers, jalapenos and sea salt. Cook over medium high heat for about 15 minutes or until the peppers are partially tender. Stir the bottom from time to time, adjusting the heat as necessary so that they don't brown. There will still be some liquid left in the pot.
• Add the tomatoes, lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, to reduce the tomato juice and finish cooking the peppers. Add additional salt, if needed. Add to batter as directed.

HOMEMADE PITA BREAD

Steps:

• Mix together the water, honey and yeast and allow the yeast to bloom until very foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• To a mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the flour, olive oil and salt. Turn the mixer on low to combine. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix on low speed until a smooth dough mass forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for 1 more minute. Portion and shape the dough into 8 even balls, roughly 4 ounces each. Place on a sheet tray and spray or brush the tops with olive oil. Tightly wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, allow the dough to temper back to room temperature for 1 hour.
• Set up your grill for high heat. If using a charcoal grill, distribute the coals evenly on the edges of the grill, leaving the middle with no coals. If using a gas grill, heat one side only. Allow the temperature to reach 475 degrees. Place a small saucepot with water on the grill for extra moisture.
• Place a flat cast-iron pan onto the grill grate to preheat.
• On a very lightly floured surface, roll each pita ball into an 8-inch round and allow to rest for 10 minutes before baking. Place a dough round onto the hot pan, close the grill and bake for 1 minute. Flip and bake for another minute, then remove to a ziptop bag. This will ensure the pita stay moist and fresh. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds. Serve!
• To make in the oven: Place a flat cast-iron pan and a small pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Place the rolled dough onto the hot pan and bake for 1 minute. Flip and bake for another minute.

POLLO AL MATTONE

Steps:

• Take a whole chicken and remove "backbone" - The chicken can now be opened to lay flat on cooking surface. The cooking vessel for this dish is a stovetop griddle pan (an extra-large saute pan would work, if necessary). The griddle pan needs to be medium-high when chicken is first placed on surface for cooking. The chicken should be seasoned with gray salt, fresh ground black pepper, and a slight drizzle of olive oil.
• Place skin side to pan first, place a saute pan or another griddle pan on top of chicken to apply pressure and weight while cooking. Cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium to avoid burning, cook additional 10-15 minutes on skin side. Remove weighted pan and turn over. Replace weighted pan and continue cooking 10-15 minutes until done.

PANETTONE I

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine yeast, water and sugar. Cover and let stand 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add eggs, yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Mix well. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms into a manageable ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary, until dough is soft and pliable, but not sticky. (May need up to 5 cups flour.) Place dough in a large, lightly pan-sprayed bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and spray a round 8-inch cake pan with non-stick spray. In a small bowl, toss dried fruit with confectioners' sugar. Punch down dough in bowl, transfer to floured surface, and knead in the fruit.
• Form dough into a ball, place in prepared cake pan, cover loosely with dish towel, and let rise 30 minutes. (Loaf will rise above the pan sides.) Brush with melted butter, if desired. Bake for 45 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 10 wedges.