The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook Part 26

[image]When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

[image]Bread Machine Baker's Hint: Baking with Cheese 1 cup of shredded firm cheese, such as Gruyere or cheddar, is equal to 4 ounces whole.

3 ounces of shredded firm cheese will effectively increase the liquid in a recipe by 1 ounce, or 2 tablespoons.

2 cups of cottage cheese equal 1 pound.

1/3 cup of soft fresh goat cheese is equal to about 2 ounces. cup of soft fresh goat cheese is equal to about 2 ounces.

ROQUEFORT CHEESE BREAD WITH WALNUTS.

Even on a French map, it is virtually impossible to find the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the Rouergue countryside of southern France. If you have ever driven in France, you know that the country is filled with tiny provincial hamlets that never appear on any map, often home to only a few dozen families. In the rocky area around the gorge-lined Tarn River are four limestone plateaus called the Grand Causses dotted with craggy old caves. The caves have been used for centuries to make the famous sheep's milk cheese that takes the name of the town that first made it. Roquefort is a strong, salty cheese with blue-green veins. The complementary combination of Roquefort cheese, rye flour, and walnuts is a cla.s.sic one in French country cooking (the strain of penicillin mold used in each of penicillin mold used in each batch of Roquefort is first cultured on rye bread). They are all together in this bread. You can vary this recipe by using English Stilton, another world-famous blue cheese, in combination with pistachio nuts. Serve the bread before dinner with pears and a red wine like Zinfandel, or with a big steak and entree salad meal.

11/2-POUND LOAF1 cup water2 tablespoons cream sherry4 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled1 tablespoon walnut oil1 tablespoon unsalted b.u.t.ter, cut into pieces23/4 cups bread flour cups bread flour1/4 cup medium or dark rye flour cup medium or dark rye flour1 tablespoon light brown sugar1 tablespoon gluten1/2 teaspoon salt teaspoon salt1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans cup chopped walnuts or pecans2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 21/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast teaspoons bread machine yeast2-POUND LOAF11/3 cups water cups water3 tablespoons cream sherry5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled11/2 tablespoons walnut oil tablespoons walnut oil11/2 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter, cut into pieces tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter, cut into pieces32/3 cups bread flour cups bread flour1/3 cup medium or dark rye flour cup medium or dark rye flour11/2 tablespoons light brown sugar tablespoons light brown sugar1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten3/4 teaspoon salt teaspoon salt2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans cup chopped walnuts or pecans21/4 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 23/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast teaspoons bread machine yeast

[image]Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.) [image]When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

Bread Machine Baking in Cybers.p.a.ceIf you have access to the Internet and you love baking bread in the bread machine, chances are you have heard that there are a number of sites devoted to sharing recipes and information, such as the Bread Board at Prodigy. This is the place to let your high-tech inner self run wild. The free online sites I have listed below include bread chats and literally hundreds of recipes, information on various machines, book reviews, Web sites, and cybers.p.a.ce mailing lists for as much information as you can handle. Once you log on to one of these sites, there are usually cross-references so you can search out other related sites. These are good places to have questions answered and to communicate with other bakers with the same interests. You can also order mail-order product catalogs, flour, and other ingredients online. Here are a few of the sites I frequent:

Recipe File www.busycooks.about.com This site offers bread machine recipes.

Bread Machine Review www.sonic.net/webpub/bread-machine/breadmachine.html Includes reviews of bread machines, cookbooks, and commercial bread mixes.

The Gluten-Free Pantry www.glutenfree.com This site is especially for bakers who have gluten-free dietary needs.

Bread Machine Magic www.breadmachinemagic.com The authors of the three splendid Bread Machine Magic Bread Machine Magic (St. Martin's/Griffin) cookbooks have their own website and weekly discussion group Tuesdays on AOL at 10 (St. Martin's/Griffin) cookbooks have their own website and weekly discussion group Tuesdays on AOL at 10 P.M. P.M. EST (keyword: Cooking Club). EST (keyword: Cooking Club).

Bread Machine Industry a.s.sociation Information Website www.breadmachine.org.

This site offers information about bread machines and bread machine cookbooks.

PARMESAN NUT BREAD.

Parmesan is one of the great cheeses of the world, the essence of Italian food. It is made only from April to November, when the cows can eat fresh gra.s.s, and this contributes to the flavor. Parmesan is a hard grating cheese that has been aged at least two years. This bread bakes up tall, so serve it in long wedges. It is great to serve with minestrone, b.u.t.tered pasta, or simple salads.

11/2-POUND LOAF1 cup water11/2 tablespoons olive oil tablespoons olive oil3 cups bread flour2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese cup grated Parmesan cheese1 tablespoon glutenPinch of sugar1/2 teaspoon salt teaspoon salt2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 21/2 teaspoon bread machine yeast teaspoon bread machine yeast1/3 cup pine nuts, coa.r.s.ely chopped cup pine nuts, coa.r.s.ely chopped1/2 cup walnuts, coa.r.s.ely chopped cup walnuts, coa.r.s.ely chopped2-POUND LOAF11/3 cups water cups water2 tablespoons olive oil4 cups bread flour3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese cup grated Parmesan cheese1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon glutenPinch of sugar3/4 teaspoon salt teaspoon salt21/2 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast1/2 cup pine nuts, coa.r.s.ely chopped cup pine nuts, coa.r.s.ely chopped2/3 cup walnuts, coa.r.s.ely chopped cup walnuts, coa.r.s.ely chopped

[image]Place the ingredients, except the nuts, in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.) When the machine beeps, or between Knead 1 and Knead 2, add the nuts.

[image]When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

ROASTED GARLIC AND DRY JACK BREAD.

This bread is the specialty of handcrafted bread baker Craig Ponsford at his bakery, Artisan Bakers, in Sonoma, California. Craig's loaf is a beautiful round starter bread baked in the wood-fire tradition, but the combination of flavors stand on their own even in the bread machine. Craig uses Bear Flag Dry Jack cheese, a specialty of northern California's Vella Company, which has the factory of its seventy-year old family business across the town square from Craig's bakery. Dry jack, a California original, was developed during World War I as a subst.i.tute for Parmesan cheese, which could not be imported.

11/2-POUND LOAF3 to 4 ounces (1 to 2 heads) garlic11/4 cups water cups water3 cups bread flour1/2 cup grated dry jack cheese cup grated dry jack cheese2 teaspoons gluten13/4 teaspoons salt teaspoons salt21/2 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast2-POUND LOAF3 to 4 ounces (1 to 2 heads) garlic11/2 cups water cups water4 cups bread flour2/3 cup grated dry jack cheese cup grated dry jack cheese1 tablespoon gluten21/4 teaspoons salt teaspoons salt1 tablespoon SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoon bread machine yeast teaspoon bread machine yeast

[image]Preheat the oven to 350F.

[image]Place the garlic in a small baking dish and bake until soft when touched with your finger, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

[image]Cut the head of roasted garlic in half horizontally. Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions, squeezing out the cloves of garlic and dropping them into the bread pan along with the water. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic or French Bread cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.) [image]When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

COUNTRY PANCETTA-CHEESE BREADMakes 1 round loaf This round loaf is styled after ones made in Rome, and is practically a lunch in itself, especially if served with a green salad and a bottle of Chianti wine. Pancetta comes in a sausage-like roll and is available sliced in the deli of your supermarket. This loaf also makes lovely savory toast to accompany simple soups, such as cream of spinach or artichoke. Be sure to let it cool completely, so that the cheese can solidify into creamy little pockets.

11/2-POUND LOAF11/8 cups water cups water1 tablespoon olive oil2 cups bread flour1/2 cup semolina durum flour cup semolina durum flour1/4 cup whole wheat flour cup whole wheat flour1/4 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta cup yellow cornmeal or polenta1 tablespoon glutenPinch of sugar1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 21/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast teaspoons bread machine yeast2 ounces pancetta, sliced thin4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, cut into 1 1/3-inch cubesYellow cornmeal or polenta, for sprinkling2-POUND LOAF11/2 cups water cups water11/2 tablespoons olive oil tablespoons olive oil22/3 cups bread flour cups bread flour2/3 cup semolina durum flour cup semolina durum flour1/3 cup whole wheat flour cup whole wheat flour1/3 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta cup yellow cornmeal or polenta1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon glutenPinch of sugar11/4 teaspoons salt teaspoons salt21/2 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast3 ounces pancetta, sliced thin6 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, cut into 1 1/3-inch cubesYellow cornmeal or polenta, for sprinkling

[image]Place the ingredients, except the pancetta, mozzarella, and cornmeal, in the pan ac cording to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Program for the Dough cycle; press Start.

[image]While the dough is rising, cook the pancetta in a skillet over moderate heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, cool, and coa.r.s.ely crumble.

[image]Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it with cornmeal. When the machine beeps at the end of the cycle, press Stop and unplug the machine. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a large, thick oval. Sprinkle the pancetta and the mozzarella over the dough. Fold the dough into thirds and gently knead to evenly distribute the pancetta and cheese. Form into one round loaf and place on the baking sheet. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rest at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.

[image]Twenty minutes before baking, place a baking stone on the lower third rack of the oven, if desired, and preheat the oven to 425F.

[image]With a small sharp knife, slash the top of the loaf with an X, no more than 1 1/4 inch deep. Place in the oven, placing the pan on the stone if using one. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with your finger. Remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing. inch deep. Place in the oven, placing the pan on the stone if using one. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with your finger. Remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

[image]Bread Machine Baker's Hint: How to Tell if a Loaf Is DoneA nicely baked loaf of bread has a golden color to its crust and sounds hollow when it is tapped with the fingers. When your loaf comes out of the pan, you can test to see if it is thoroughly baked inside with the help of an instant-read thermometer. This method is especially useful for rich doughs, which do not sound hollow when tapped. To test a loaf for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the bottom or side of the bread. Breads are thoroughly baked at 190 to 200F. But remember that a loaf has not technically finished baking until it is has cooled completely outside of the oven.

HOT JALAPEnO BREAD WITH LONGHORN CHEESE.

The jalapenos here are added at the beginning of the bread cycle so that they get incorporated into the entire dough. Even so, be prepared for the little burst of heat on your tongue after each bite. The canned jalapenos called for are convenient to use and easily found in the supermarket. Pat them with a paper towel to soak up the excess moisture before chopping them. Long-horn is an orange Wisconsin cheddar known for its excellent melting quality and nice melding with Tex-Mex flavors. This loaf bakes up into a beautiful, earthy color. It is great with bean salads.

11/2-POUND LOAF1 cup water3 cups bread flour1 cup shredded longhorn cheddar cheese (4 ounces)3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk3 canned jalapeno chiles, seeded and diced1 tablespoon sugar1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 21/2 tablespoon bread machine yeast tablespoon bread machine yeast2-POUND LOAF11/3 cups water cups water4 cups bread flour11/4 cups shredded longhorn cheddar cheese (5 ounces) cups shredded longhorn cheddar cheese (5 ounces)4 tablespoons nonfat dry milk4 canned jalapeno chiles, seeded and diced11/2 tablespoons sugar tablespoons sugar11/2 teaspoons salt teaspoons salt21/2 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast

[image]Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.) [image]When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

BEER BREAD WITH CHEDDAR.

Whenever I spoke of the beer bread in this recipe collection, the immediate response of any listener was always, "Does it have cheese in it?" So for all those lovers of beer and cheese, here it is, and it is rich-like a pound cake. Cheddar cheese, a cheese with lots of tang and often densely colored with annatto, used to be a product of the Midwest dairy states, but quickly became the most popular cheese from the Southwest to New England. Use a young, mild Colby (they are sometimes sold just three days old, and usually not older than three months), a cheese known for its firm texture, to complement the strong flavor of the beer.

11/2-POUND LOAF1 cup (8 ounces) beer31/2 cups bread flour cups bread flour3/4 cup shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese (3 ounces) cup shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese (3 ounces)1/4 cup sugar cup sugar3/4 teaspoon salt teaspoon salt13/4 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 21/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast teaspoons bread machine yeast2-POUND LOAF11/3 cups (11 ounces) beer cups (11 ounces) beer41/2 cups bread flour cups bread flour11/4 cups shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese (5 ounces) cups shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese (5 ounces)1/3 cup sugar cup sugar11/4 teaspoons salt teaspoons salt21/4 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 23/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast teaspoons bread machine yeast

[image]Open the container of beer and let stand at room temperature for a few hours to go flat.

[image]Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.) [image]When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

KHACHAPURI.

(Stuffed Cheese Breads)Makes 8 individual stuffed cheese breads Khachapuri, a word meaning "filled bread," is a popular street and restaurant food in Georgian Russia, but also a homemade specialty. There are many versions and types of cheese fillings, but the filling usually includes a word meaning "filled bread," is a popular street and restaurant food in Georgian Russia, but also a homemade specialty. There are many versions and types of cheese fillings, but the filling usually includes suluguni, suluguni, a stringy cheese that is not available in this country. Here the a stringy cheese that is not available in this country. Here the khachapuri khachapuri are stuffed with a filling of mild melting cheese and fresh herbs popular in the area around Georgia, Turkey, and Armenia-mint and coriander. Originally these breads were baked on clay griddles over open fires. In this version from food writer and cooking instructor Lynn Alley, the breads are made in individual portions, great as appetizers with red or white wine, or as an accompaniment to soup. are stuffed with a filling of mild melting cheese and fresh herbs popular in the area around Georgia, Turkey, and Armenia-mint and coriander. Originally these breads were baked on clay griddles over open fires. In this version from food writer and cooking instructor Lynn Alley, the breads are made in individual portions, great as appetizers with red or white wine, or as an accompaniment to soup.

11/2- OR 2-POUND-LOAF MACHINESFor the dough:11/4 cups plain yogurt cups plain yogurt1 tablespoon olive oil3 cups bread flour1/2 teaspoon salt teaspoon salt11/4 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 13/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast teaspoons bread machine yeastFor the filling:11/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack (6 ounces) cups shredded Monterey Jack (6 ounces)4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled1/4 cup minced Italian flat-leaf parsley cup minced Italian flat-leaf parsley1 large egg1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint1 egg white, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for glaze

[image]To make the dough, place all the dough ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Program for the Dough cycle; press Start. If the yogurt is very thick, be prepared to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the dough. The dough ball should be smooth, slightly soft, and elastic.

[image]Meanwhile, make the cheese filling. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

[image]Spray 8 cups of a nonstick standard m.u.f.fin tin with vegetable cooking spray. At the beep, remove the dough from the pan and turn out onto a clean work surface. Divide the dough in half, then further divide each half into quarters to make 8 pieces. Using a rolling pin, and on a work surface lightly dusted with flour to prevent sticking, roll out each portion into a 7- to 8-inch round, about 1 1/4 inch thick. Alternately, you can press each section of dough with your palm and stretch the dough if you don't have a small rolling pin. Fold the dough lightly into quarters and transfer to a m.u.f.fin cup. Unfold the dough and press to fit into the cup, leaving a skirt of dough draped over the sides. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the cheese filling into the dough, mounding it higher in the center. Pick up the skirt of the dough and pleat in loose folds laying over each other over the filling. You can leave it folded flat or gather up the top ends and twist into a small k.n.o.b. Repeat with all the portions of dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. inch thick. Alternately, you can press each section of dough with your palm and stretch the dough if you don't have a small rolling pin. Fold the dough lightly into quarters and transfer to a m.u.f.fin cup. Unfold the dough and press to fit into the cup, leaving a skirt of dough draped over the sides. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the cheese filling into the dough, mounding it higher in the center. Pick up the skirt of the dough and pleat in loose folds laying over each other over the filling. You can leave it folded flat or gather up the top ends and twist into a small k.n.o.b. Repeat with all the portions of dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

[image]Preheat the oven to 400F.

[image]Brush the tops of the breads with the egg white glaze. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the pan to a rack and cool in the pan 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. These can be frozen for up to a month in plastic freezer bags. To serve, defrost in the refrigerator in the bag, then warm in a 300F oven for 8 minutes to soften the cheese. Serve immediately.

[image]Bread Machine Baker's Hint: Optimum TemperaturesTo ensure proper rising, it's preferable to use room temperature ingredients (that includes eggs) and ever-so-slightly warm liquids when loading a bread machine. There is some leeway here; many bakers report using cold eggs and liquids straight from the refrigerator with room temperature flours and yeast with great results. The dough will just rise slower. To counteract warm climates, or during the summer, place the baking canister in the refrigerator to chill it before adding the ingredients which can be cold. Machines with preheat cycles can have ingredients layered into the bread pan straight out of the refrigerator.

FETA AND SPINACH BREAD.

Feta cheese is always a.s.sociated with Greek cooking. It is a firm white sheep's milk cheese that crumbles easily and holds its shape during baking. It is stored in brine, so feta should be rinsed in cold water before using. If storing it again, cover it with fresh water. Feta has a strong salty nature, so you don't need to add as much salt to this dough as to others. Because of its strong flavor, a little feta goes a long way. With only a quarter the fat of a cheese like cheddar, feta and bread made with it are suitable for lowfat diets. You do not need to cook the frozen spinach to prepare it for this recipe. After it is thawed in a colander, just squeeze out the excess water with your fingers. This loaf, known as spanakopsomo spanakopsomo and traditionally made with wild greens, is not a sandwich bread-it is too delicate. Instead, serve this bread with red wine and olives before dinner. I like it with omelettes or with a roast lamb meal, served with roasted garlic-infused olive oil for dipping. This bread has a beautiful aroma while baking. and traditionally made with wild greens, is not a sandwich bread-it is too delicate. Instead, serve this bread with red wine and olives before dinner. I like it with omelettes or with a roast lamb meal, served with roasted garlic-infused olive oil for dipping. This bread has a beautiful aroma while baking.

11/2-POUND LOAF7/8 cup water cup water3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed dry) cup frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed dry)2 tablespoons olive oil3 cups bread flour4 ounces crumbled feta cheese1 tablespoon sugar1/2 teaspoon salt teaspoon salt13/4 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 21/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast teaspoons bread machine yeast2-POUND LOAF11/8 cups water cups water1 cup frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed dry)3 tablespoons olive oil4 cups bread flour5 ounces crumbled feta cheese11/2 tablespoons sugar tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon salt21/4 teaspoons SAF yeast teaspoons SAF yeast or 23/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast teaspoons bread machine yeast

[image]Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.) [image]When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

[image]Bread Machine Baker's Hint: What Size Loaf for Oven Baking?If you decide to bake any of the kneaded and risen doughs from these recipes in your oven rather than in the machine, the following information about pan sizes will be helpful. If you have programmed the machine for the Basic or Whole Wheat cycles, just press Stop/Reset to clear after Rise 2, and unplug the machine. Or make the recipe on the Dough cycle. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, form the loaf, and place it in or on the pan. Let rise, covered lightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, before baking.1-pound recipe fills one 81/2-by-41/2-by-21/2-inch loaf pan11/2-pound recipe fills one 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan11/2-pound recipe yields 1 medium or 2 small round or oval loaves11/2-pound recipe yields 2 baguettes2-pound recipe fills two 81/2-by-41/2-by-21/2-inch loaf pans2-pound recipe yields 1 large, 2 medium, or 3 small round or oval loaves

CIRCLES, SQUARES, AND CRESCENTS.

Pizzas and Other Flatbreads

Basic Pizza DoughSemolina Pizza DoughWhole Wheat Pizza DoughCornmeal Pizza Doughp.i.s.saladiereTorta Rustica with Rigatoni and SausageSuzanne's Chicago-Style Deep-Dish PizzaSausage and Pepper CalzoneCheese Pizza TortaGarlic FocacciaRoman BreadItalian Whole Wheat FlatbreadWine FocacciaSchiacciataProvencal Olive and Anchovy FlatbreadGrape Schiacciata Coffee CakeWalnut Fouga.s.seLa Pompe de NoelNaanMiddle Eastern LavashWhole Wheat PitaLangos

I remember the first time I heard a friend say she made the best pizza at home. I just didn't think such a thing I existed. I mean, you need the special oven, and the technique of throwing the dough into the air to stretch it seemed very difficult. It just seemed beyond the home baker's realm. Through my own experience, however, I found this wasn't true, and what has been happening in the past ten years is nothing short of a phenomenon-everyone who loves to bake seems to be making pizza. When I was teaching cooking cla.s.ses, making pizza was one of the most requested topics. What was more remarkable was that my students were able to turn out pizzas that were every bit as good as parlor-made, but with the added benefit that the pizzas could be made to please a host of finicky eaters. This flatbread is so popular that it warrants a chapter named largely for it. After all, I have had a number of bread machine owners tell me that pizza dough is the only thing they make with their machine. remember the first time I heard a friend say she made the best pizza at home. I just didn't think such a thing I existed. I mean, you need the special oven, and the technique of throwing the dough into the air to stretch it seemed very difficult. It just seemed beyond the home baker's realm. Through my own experience, however, I found this wasn't true, and what has been happening in the past ten years is nothing short of a phenomenon-everyone who loves to bake seems to be making pizza. When I was teaching cooking cla.s.ses, making pizza was one of the most requested topics. What was more remarkable was that my students were able to turn out pizzas that were every bit as good as parlor-made, but with the added benefit that the pizzas could be made to please a host of finicky eaters. This flatbread is so popular that it warrants a chapter named largely for it. After all, I have had a number of bread machine owners tell me that pizza dough is the only thing they make with their machine.

Other flatbreads, too, have hit a nerve with amateur and professional bakers alike. The most prominent of these is focaccia, a very old, traditional homemade flatbread of Italy. Irregularly handshaped or pressed into a pan to form a large flat loaf, focaccia gets a simple coating of olive oil, herbs, or garlic. Made from dough with essentially the same proportions as pizza dough, focaccia differs from pizza in that it can be sweet or savory, and uses fewer-but a wider variety of-toppings. Its surface is dimpled, and indentations collect the olive oil that is drizzled over it. Focaccias have a thick breadlike texture because they are allowed to rise before baking, rather than the characteristic thin crispness of pizza, which is baked immediately after shaping and topping.

Other regions have their versions of focaccia, too. In a Paris pizzeria, I watched rounds of pliable, untopped pizza dough get tossed into a very hot wood-burning oven and emerge puffed up, to be sprinkled simply with olive oil and salt. A cla.s.sic country bread, this is known by different names in different regions of Italy and France-schiacciata in Tuscany, in Tuscany, fuga.s.sa fuga.s.sa in Venice, in Venice, fouga.s.se fouga.s.se in Provence, and in Provence, and pogne pogne in Savoie-so don't be confused; the names can be used interchangeably. Because of their innate simplicity and ease of preparation, in Savoie-so don't be confused; the names can be used interchangeably. Because of their innate simplicity and ease of preparation, focacce focacce lend themselves to endless delightful flavor variations and embellishments. lend themselves to endless delightful flavor variations and embellishments.

Focaccia is shaped in a wide variety of earthy, rustic sizes from round or oval to free-form or rectangular. The freeform version is often slashed in various places, giving the look of intricate cutwork, allowing the dough to open up into a decorative pattern referred to as a ladder. This is particularly popular in the fouga.s.se fouga.s.se of Provence. Restaurants and trattorias offer focaccia cut into finger-sized lengths for snacking or small five- to six-inch rounds cut horizontally for sandwiches. Uncut, the flatbread is studded with nuts or cheeses, olives or vegetables. Topped with fresh grapes or raisins, it is a traditional, and to many Americans unusual, favorite. of Provence. Restaurants and trattorias offer focaccia cut into finger-sized lengths for snacking or small five- to six-inch rounds cut horizontally for sandwiches. Uncut, the flatbread is studded with nuts or cheeses, olives or vegetables. Topped with fresh grapes or raisins, it is a traditional, and to many Americans unusual, favorite.

While pizza and focaccia are the most familiar flatbreads to their dedicated bakers and eaters, there is an entire family of flatbreads that comes from every culture in the world. They are ever-present daily bread in lands where fuel once was, or still is, a precious commodity, so these breads cook quickly. Flatbreads are eaten hot and fresh. While unleavened flatbreads, such as tortillas, are very thin indeed, the yeasted flatbreads to which this chapter is devoted can be anywhere from paper-thin, like lavash, to a few inches thick, as focaccia. In between are naan naan, the word for bread in much of Asia and India, with dozens of interpretations, and the ballooning pita, also basic daily fare eaten in much of the Middle East. These are kneaded doughs, which the bread machine prepares very nicely. These breads are meant to be eaten with meals, but are great for appetizers, too.

Since the doughs of pizza and flatbreads are so basic-water, flour, yeast, oil, and salt-take note of the quality and flavor of each ingredient you use, because you will definitely taste it. Some bakers use bottled spring water for their flat-breads. In some recipes, olive oil plays a very important role: use pure virgin and extra-virgin oils with different rich characters. For focaccia the olive oil is used not only in the dough, but for brus.h.i.+ng the pan, drizzling on top before and after baking, and often for dipping later at the table. Organic stone-ground flours offer a unique, fresh wheat flavor.

Flatbreads need your touch to be finished to perfection. Since the shaping is the key to their taste and texture, they must always be baked outside of the machine.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH.

Makes 2 thin 12- to 14-inch, one 14-inch deep-dish, four 8-inch, 6 individual crusts, or one 17-by-11-inch rectangular crust Sometimes I wonder whether the bread machine was invented just to mix and rise pizza dough, since so many bakers seem to do only that with their machines. After the dough cycle is complete, the dough is removed, shaped by hand, topped as desired, and baked off in your kitchen oven. Be sure to use unbleached all-purpose flour; it will be easier to roll out. You can use all or just a portion of the dough-it can conveniently be refrigerated overnight, or frozen.