Spanish Coca With Smoky Romesco And Potatoes Food

SMOKY ROMESCO

Steps:

• Set up your favorite smoker and add a handful of hardwood chunks. If you have heat control, set it to whatever position will give you moderate heat: 180 to 200 degrees F. Allow the wood to smoke for approximately 30 minutes before adding food.
• While the smoker is heating, position an oven rack 5-inches below the broiler and set the broiler to high.
• Halve the peppers lengthwise, discard the seeds, place cut side-down on a sheet pan, then broil, rotating the pan halfway through, until the skins are charred, about 10 minutes. (Or you can char them over your gas cooktop burners if you have them. It's a little messy but darned efficient and fun in a medieval kind of way.)
• Transfer the peppers to a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes, then slip the charred skins off the peppers with your hands. (Doing this under running water helps.)
• Spread the tomato paste into a thin layer on piece of parchment paper and place on a baking rack along with the peppers and garlic. Smoke for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a toaster oven to 400 degrees F and toast the almonds until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Set up a food processor with an S-blade (the normal processing blade) and load in the bread cubes, smoked peppers, garlic and tomato paste, the toasted almonds, sherry vinegar and salt. Pulse until uniform but still chunky, then leave the motor running while you add the oil in a constant stream. (Do this fairly quickly so that the sauce doesn't puree completely.)
• For full flavor, wait a couple of hours to serve at room temp. To store, cover tightly and refrigerate for up 10 days or freeze in ice cube trays for easy dosing.

SPANISH COCA WITH SMOKY ROMESCO AND POTATOES

Steps:

• To make the dough, sprinkle the yeast over 1/4 cup of the water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes, or until dissolved. Sift the 1 3/4 cups flour and the salt onto a work surface and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, remaining water, and the olive oil. Mix the ingredients in the well together with your fingertips, then gradually draw in flour to make a dough. Knead, dusting with flour as necessary, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until elastic. The dough should be soft, but only slightly sticky. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn to coat it with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Prepare a very hot fire (525° to 550°F) in a wood-fired oven or cooker.
• Knead the dough lightly on a floured board for 2 minutes. Roll into a 9 by 14-inch rectangle, stretching to size with your hands. It should be about 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet and dimple the surface of the dough with your fingertips so it does not puff evenly.
• To make the topping, mix the 1/4 cup olive oil, pimentón, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl and brush half of this mixture generously on the dough. Spread evenly with the romesco sauce, then the green onions and oregano. Brush the edges of the crust with olive oil. Leave in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dough is puffy.
• Bake the bread in the oven for 10 minutes, rotating the pan once to bake evenly. Top with the roasted potatoes and continue to bake until the crust is brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the edges of the crust with olive oil. Top with sliced eggs and cut into serving-size slices or squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.