Panne Mattone Weighted Bread Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Combine the yeast and water in a medium bowl. Microwave the milk and butter on a low setting until the milk is warm and butter is just melted, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Be sure not to overheat the mixture.
• In a separate bowl whisk together the egg and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the warm butter and milk to the egg mixture. Whisk to combine then pour it into the yeast.
• In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt and nutmeg. With a wooden spoon, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until all the ingredients are smooth and well combined into soft dough 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel let sit in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• On a lightly floured work surface gently roll the dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle (about 10 by 18 inches). Cut the dough in 32 smaller rectangles, each about 1 by 1 1/2 inches. Sprinkle flour on 2 baking sheets to prevent the dough from sticking. Space the rectangles of dough about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oil in fryer to 375 degrees F.
• Fry the doughnuts in the oil until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side, turning with tongs. Remove the doughnuts from the oil and place on a cooling rack, allowing some of oil to drain on a paper shopping bag or paper towels placed below rack.
• Once doughnuts have cooled to room temperature sift confectioners' sugar over the top of the doughnuts. Move the doughnuts to a serving platter and sprinkle the tops of each one with 1/4 teaspoon of espresso. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Chef's notes: These seem like they take a while to make but, really, all of the time is spent waiting for the dough to rise.
• A great way to serve these is to place a doughnut in top of a steaming cup of fresh-brewed coffee.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle 2 ounces flour (about 1/2 cup) and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar over top. Cover with plastic, and let stand for 1 hour.
• Add remaining 12 ounces flour and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, the beaten eggs, and the salt. Mix together on medium speed until dough forms a smooth, stiff ball, about 5 minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix dough on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add extracts, orange peel, and raisins. Mix until combined.
• Turn out dough onto a clean surface, and form into a ball. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate overnight.
• Bring dough to room temperature, and divide in half. Form each half into a ball; place each in a 5 1/4-by-3 3/4-inch paper panettone mold or a small brown paper bag that has been rolled down to about 5 inches. Transfer to a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly beat remaining egg. Brush egg wash onto panettone dough, and sprinkle with pearl sugar and almonds. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes.
• Remove molds from oven, and run two wooden skewers horizontally through the center of each panettone loaf. Hang loaves upside down by propping ends of each skewer on 2 large heavy canisters or cans. Let cool completely.