Piperade On Crusty Bread Food

PIPERADE ON CRUSTY BREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and slowly cook the onion for 6-8 mins to soften.
• Meanwhile, peel the tomatoes: using a sharp knife, make a cross on the top and bottom of the tomatoes. Pour boiling water into a bowl, and carefully lower the tomatoes into the water. Prepare another bowl of very cold water. After about 30 secs, drain the tomatoes, then plunge them into the cold water. The skins should now slip off easily. Cut into quarters, deseed and roughly chop.
• Throw the peppers and garlic into the onion pan, give everything a good stir and cook, covered, over a low heat for 20 mins or so until the vegetables are really soft and sweet. Stir regularly so that they don't catch on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, a pinch of sugar and cook, uncovered, for 5 mins more. Season and stir in the vinegar and the basil. Allow to cool to room temperature, stir through the basil and taste to check the flavours again. You may want to add a dash more vinegar, or a pinch more sugar, depending on how sweet your vegetables are. Spoon onto the baguette slices and serve.

CRUSTY HOMEMADE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Using a rubber spatula, stir in 3-1/2 cups flour and salt to form a soft, sticky dough. Do not knead. Cover and let rise at room temperature 1 hour., Stir down dough (dough will be sticky). Turn onto a floured surface; with floured hands pat into a 9-in. square. Fold square into thirds, forming a 9x3-in. rectangle. Fold rectangle into thirds, forming a 3-in. square. Place in a large greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough and repeat folding process. Return dough to bowl; refrigerate, covered, overnight., Grease the bottom of a disposable foil roasting pan with sides at least 4 in. high; dust pan with cornmeal. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead gently 6-8 times; shape into a 6-in. round loaf. Place into prepared pan; dust top with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Cover pan and let rise at room temperature until dough expands to a 7-1/2-in. loaf, about 1-1/4 hours. , Preheat oven to 500°. Using a sharp knife, make a slash (1/4 in. deep) across top of loaf. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake on lowest oven rack 25 minutes., Reduce oven setting to 450°. Remove foil; bake bread until deep golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Remove loaf to a wire rack to cool.

PIPERADE (BASQUE SCRAMBLED EGGS)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and cook onion until softened and beginning to turn golden. Add peppers and cook 15 minutes, until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until tomatoes are pulpy. Thoroughly beat eggs in a small bowl, add to tomato mixture, and stir until they begin to thicken; remove from heat before they solidify. Serve on heated plates, topped with fried ham slice or slices, and surrounded with croutons.;

EGGS POACHED IN PIPERADE

Steps:

• Cook onion and bell peppers in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add paprika and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 5 to 9 minutes.
• Spread mixture evenly in skillet and make 6 indentations in the mixture with the back of a spoon. Carefully break eggs into each indentation. Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper; cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook eggs until whites set but yolks are still soft, about 5 minutes.
• Using wide spatula, transfer 2 eggs with vegetable mixture underneath to each plate. Spoon remaining vegetables around eggs. Sprinkle pipérade with feta cheese and serve.

EGGS BAKED IN PIPéRADE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Cook onion and bell peppers in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add paprika and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 5 to 9 minutes.
• Warm eggs (still in shell) in a bowl of hot water 5 minutes, then drain.
• Transfer vegetables to a 3-quart shallow baking or gratin dish and make 8 indentations in mixture with back of a large spoon. Crack an egg into each indentation and season with salt and pepper. Bake until egg whites are set but yolks are still slightly runny, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with feta and serve immediately.

CRUSTY HOMEMADE BREAD - WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• BASIC:.
• In small bowl, dissolve yeast in wter.
• In large bowl, mix 3 1/2 cups flour and salt.
• Using rubber spatula add yeast mixture, stirring just until smooth (dough will be sticky). DO NOT knead.
• Cover with plastic wrap; let rise at room temperature 1 hour.
• Punch down dough.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface.
• Pat into a 9" square.
• Fold dough into thirds, forming a 3" square.
• Turn dough over; place in a greased bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap; let rise at room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough and repeat folding process. Return dough to bowl; refrigerate, covered, overnight.
• Line Bottom of a disposable foil rosting pan with parchment paper.
• Dust with cornmeal.
• Turn dough onta floured surface.
• Knead gently 8 times; shape into a 6" round lof.
• Place in prepared pan; dust top with remaining 1 Tablespoon of flour.
• Cover pan with plastic wrap; let rise at room temperature until dough expands in size to a 7 1/2: loaf, bout 1 1/4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 500. Using a sharp knife, make a slash (1/4" deep) across top of loaf.
• Cover pan tightly with foil.
• Bake on lowest oven rack for 25 minutes.
• Reduce oven setting to 450.
• Remove foil; bake 25-30 minutes longer or until deep golden brown.
• Remove loaf to a wire rack to cool.
• CHEDDAR CHEESE Variation:.
• Prepare bread dough as directed.
• Before kneading dough in Step 4, sprinkle with 4 ounces diced sharp cheedar cheese.
• CRANBERRY n ORANGE Variation:.
• Prepare bread dough as directed.
• Before Kneading dough in Step 4 sprinkle with 1 cup dried cranberries and 4 teaspoons grated orange peel.

PIPERADE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler with the rack in the upper position. Cut off tops and bottoms of peppers; discard. Slice side of each pepper to open, and spread to flatten. Remove and discard ribs and seeds. Brush 1 tablespoon oil on a baking sheet. Rub peppers with oil, and flatten as much as possible. Place on sheet, skin side up. Broil until skins have blackened, about 8 minutes. Let cool. Hold peppers under running water to remove charred skins, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips (about 2 cups). Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add tomatoes, and cook until skins loosen, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath until cool enough to handle, about 1 minute. Peel tomatoes, and cut into quarters. Run a knife along flesh to remove seeds; discard seeds. Cut tomatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in small ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook for 2 minutes; cover, and transfer pot to oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Brush down sides of pot with a wet pastry brush to prevent caramelized bits from burning. Add roasted pepper strips, cover, and bake for 20 minutes more. Brush down sides of pot again. Add thyme and tomato strips, and continue baking, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Brush down sides of pot again. Season with salt and pepper. Vegetables should be soft but not browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.