KellyD
03-19-2001, 02:29 PM
I made a soup and focaccia last night that my husband declared the best meal we've had in ages - and I just had to share the recipes. The soup is originally from the Too Busy To Cook section of February Bon Appetit - but I modified it to lighten it up.
SPICY PASTA, BEAN, AND SAUSAGE SOUP
2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas - I used Great Northerns - don't care for garbanzos in soup)
1 pound turkey Italian hot sausages, casings removed
4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
5 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
8 ounces (about 2 1/3 cups) orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta) or other small pasta - I used mini shells
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
Strain liquid from canned beans into blender. Add 1 cup beans and puree until smooth. Heat large pot over medium heat. Add sausages, rosemary, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until sausages are cooked through, breaking up with fork, about 8 minutes. Mix in tomato paste. Add bean puree, remaining beans, broth, and pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender and mixture is thick, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing additional cheese if desired.
Makes 4 to 6 (main-course) servings.
For the bread, I used the dough setting of my bread machine. I cut down the oil the original recipe called for - but you could probably cut it down even more.
CRACKED PEPPER FOCACCIA WITH TRUFFLE OIL
Truffle oil adds an earthy nuance, but using olive oil will also result in a delicious bread.
2 cups lukewarm water (85°F to 95°F)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (for do-ahead version) or quick-rising dry yeast (for same-day version)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons white or black truffle oil* or olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
4 3/4 cups (about) bread flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Stir 2 cups lukewarm water and yeast in large bowl to blend. Mix in 2 tablespoons olive oil, truffle oil, cracked pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt. Add 1 cup flour. Using wood spoon, stir vigorously until well incorporated. Add enough of remaining 3 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, to form dough that is soft, sticky and not completely smooth, stirring vigorously until well incorporated. Oil large bowl. Scrape dough into oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. For do-ahead version: Chill dough overnight. Allow dough to come to room temperature in warm draft-free area before proceeding. For same-day version: Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes (do not punch down dough).
Lightly oil 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Slide out dough onto prepared baking sheet (dough will be soft and will easily slide out onto sheet; do not punch down dough or knead dough). Gently pull and stretch dough so that dough almost covers baking sheet. Press fingertips all over top of dough to form indentations. Brush top of focaccia with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, rosemary and coarse salt. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until puffed, about 30 minutes for refrigerated dough and about 15 minutes for room-temperature dough.
Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450°F. Bake focaccia until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
*Available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.
Makes 1 large loaf.
AWESOME meal!!!
SPICY PASTA, BEAN, AND SAUSAGE SOUP
2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas - I used Great Northerns - don't care for garbanzos in soup)
1 pound turkey Italian hot sausages, casings removed
4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
5 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
8 ounces (about 2 1/3 cups) orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta) or other small pasta - I used mini shells
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
Strain liquid from canned beans into blender. Add 1 cup beans and puree until smooth. Heat large pot over medium heat. Add sausages, rosemary, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until sausages are cooked through, breaking up with fork, about 8 minutes. Mix in tomato paste. Add bean puree, remaining beans, broth, and pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender and mixture is thick, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing additional cheese if desired.
Makes 4 to 6 (main-course) servings.
For the bread, I used the dough setting of my bread machine. I cut down the oil the original recipe called for - but you could probably cut it down even more.
CRACKED PEPPER FOCACCIA WITH TRUFFLE OIL
Truffle oil adds an earthy nuance, but using olive oil will also result in a delicious bread.
2 cups lukewarm water (85°F to 95°F)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (for do-ahead version) or quick-rising dry yeast (for same-day version)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons white or black truffle oil* or olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
4 3/4 cups (about) bread flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Stir 2 cups lukewarm water and yeast in large bowl to blend. Mix in 2 tablespoons olive oil, truffle oil, cracked pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt. Add 1 cup flour. Using wood spoon, stir vigorously until well incorporated. Add enough of remaining 3 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, to form dough that is soft, sticky and not completely smooth, stirring vigorously until well incorporated. Oil large bowl. Scrape dough into oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. For do-ahead version: Chill dough overnight. Allow dough to come to room temperature in warm draft-free area before proceeding. For same-day version: Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes (do not punch down dough).
Lightly oil 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Slide out dough onto prepared baking sheet (dough will be soft and will easily slide out onto sheet; do not punch down dough or knead dough). Gently pull and stretch dough so that dough almost covers baking sheet. Press fingertips all over top of dough to form indentations. Brush top of focaccia with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, rosemary and coarse salt. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until puffed, about 30 minutes for refrigerated dough and about 15 minutes for room-temperature dough.
Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450°F. Bake focaccia until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
*Available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.
Makes 1 large loaf.
AWESOME meal!!!