The classic French preparation involves nothing more than radishes, butter, and salt. Fearful of not quite “getting” it, I tried out this minted radish butter recipe from Green City Market instead.

You don’t need to be French to appreciate these crunchy clusters of red, pink, and green. The radishes, herbs, and spritzes of lemon lightened the fattiness so much that I almost forgot I was eating butter. My preference is serving the butter generously salted and peppered as a spread for bread, crackers, or other raw vegetables.

recipe adapted from Green City Market
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Graziana

Radish Herb Butter Recipe

makes about 6 servings

8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
5 radishes, about 1 to 1/2 inches in diameter, washed and trimmed

Directions:

1. Slice the radishes into thin rounds, and then into strips to julienne (or use a mandolin). Discard the root ends.
2. In a bowl, beat the butter with a wooden spoon until smooth.
3. Beat in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the chopped herbs just until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Gently fold in the julienned radishes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Radish Herb Butter

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It’s easy to get carried away at Farmer’s Markets, where the compulsion to grab random things you’ve never used takes over. Letting fresh ingredients sit on the counter for too long defeats the purpose of going to such markets, so I always look for recipes that make the most of seasonal produce.

If you happen to find rhubarb and strawberry in your reusable grocery totes or CSA box, try this Scandinavian-inspired dessert soup. The sweet and sour vanilla-rhubarb base (rabarbersoppa) is done in about 20 minutes, giving you a headstart in figuring out what to do with the rest of your haul.

I prefer to serve rhubarb soup chilled with sweetened cream and sliced strawberries, but ice cream also sounds great with this, doesn’t it?

Now what should I do with radish and still-poopy duck eggs?

recipe adapted from James Peterson’s Splendid Soups
Strawberry Feast hosted by My Kitchen Treasures

Rabarbersoppa (Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup)
Served Chilled with Strawberries and Cream

makes about 6 servings

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
4 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 pints strawberries, quartered

Directions:

1. Place the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla bean, and water in a pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes with the cover slightly ajar, just until the rhubarb is softened. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
2. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife. Reserve the seeds. Strain the soup, pushing down with a ladle to extract liquid from the rhubarb. Discard the pulp and mix the vanilla bean seeds with the strained rhubarb soup.
3. To Serve: Mix together the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla extract (alternatively, serve with whipped cream or ice cream). Place the quartered strawberries in chilled bowls and pour in the rhubarb soup. Drizzle with the cream mixture and serve.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup with Strawberries

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2. Asparagus Soup with Cream
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6. Chinese Crab and Corn Soup

The asparagus tips are cooked briefly to retain crispness and the stalks pureed to lend the soup a light green hue. You’ll also need a potato to slightly thicken and some parsley for that fresh herby taste.

The original recipe calls for a brief simmer with a tied-up bunch of parsley, presumably for easy extraction before pureeing. It seems to be missing this step so I added it. Blending the soup with the parsley also didn’t seem right because doing so could kill the subtle taste of asparagus.

The soup is finished with heavy cream, but since it’s getting warmer and I need to get sexy soon, I used milk. Either way, the soup will be smooth and creamy.

recipe adapted from James Peterson’s Splendid Soups
Eating with the Seasons: April hosted by Maninas

Asparagus Soup with Cream Recipe

makes about 8 servings

Trying to be way too artsy over here.

Ingredients:

2 pounds asparagus
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 medium red waxy potato, peeled and sliced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
about 12 sprigs of parsley, tied up with string
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Notes:

• Use white peppercorns if you’re anal about having black specks in your precious soup, as I am.

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil.
2. Trim and discard the fibrous portion of the asparagus, about 2 inches at the base. Cut the asparagus tips and reserve. Cut the asparagus stalks into 1-inch segments and reserve.
3. Blanch the asparagus tips and stalks separately.
   Cook the asparagus tips in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Immediately rinse under cold running water and reserve.
   Cook the asparagus stalks in the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Immediately rinse under cold running water and reserve.
4. In a medium pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sliced potatoes. Saute for about 10 minutes while stirring frequently, or until the onions turn translucent (try not to let the onions or potatoes brown).
5. Add the asparagus stalks, the broth, and the parsley. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are thoroughly softened. Remove and discard the tied-up bunch of parsley.
6. Puree the soup using a food mill, food processor, or blender. Strain using a medium-mesh strainer.
7. To serve, heat the asparagus puree over low heat and mix in the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix in the asparagus tips just before serving.

Taking a photo of this soup is not fun. The asparagus tips keep sinking.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Asparagus Soup with Cream

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6. Pureed Corn and Miso Soup

Edam cheese is essential for making ensaimada. Filipinos know it best as queso de bola, bowling balls of cheesiness covered in a protective shell of red wax. These big-as-your-head cheese balls always made our dinner table during christmastime. We have this tradition of rounding up thirteen different types of spherical fruits to symbolize prosperity for the new year, so queso de bola fits in quite nicely, if I do say so myself.

No one ever told me that the waxy coating on queso de bola was, in fact, actual wax. Other kids voluntarily ate glue; I unknowingly ate paraffin. Copious amounts of it. Needless to say, I hated queso de bola with a passion, but continued to eat it anyway because everyone else seemed to enjoy it.

Now that I know better, I always keep a wedge on hand. I find Edam plain and inoffensive as far as cheese goes, but finely grated and baked with sweet brioche dough, we end up with a well-loved Filipino bread along the ranks of pan de sal and pan de leche. There are many other ways to enjoy queso de bola, of course.

Storebought versions are more like sponge cakes heavily topped with sugar, cheese, and butter. This breadier version has a fluffy interior, deeply browned flaky crust, and a nice buttery finish. I prefer to keep ensaimada plain because there’s enough cheese, butter, and sweetness in the bread itself, but there’s nothing wrong with a light dusting after baking. I listed a number of optional glazes and toppings.

This recipe for ensaimada benefits from an overnight rest in the fridge mainly to maximize flavor development. It really makes a huge difference in taste and texture. The dough is filled with cheese and coiled into snail-shaped rounds, so chilling also makes shaping easier, fun even.

Bread Baking Day #16: Bread with Cheese hosted by High on the Hog

Ensaimada (Snail-Shaped Brioche)
Filipino-Style with Edam Cheese

makes 4 ensaimadas (about 6 inches in diameter)

Dutch Edam cheese. Red wax is not good eats.

Ensaimada Dough Ingredients:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour                   2 2/3 cups         12            340
whole milk                        2 tbsp          1             28
large eggs                        5               8.8          250
instant yeast                 1 1/4 tsp
salt                            1/3 tsp
granulated sugar                1/4 cup           2             56
unsalted butter, softened       1/2 cup           4            113
grated Edam cheese          about 1 cup

Optional Glaze (before baking):

egg wash (1 egg + 1 teaspoon water)

Optional Toppings (after cooling and baking):

softened butter
granulated sugar
grated Edam cheese

Directions:

Mix             Stir the flour, milk, eggs, yeast, salt, and sugar.
                Mix until evenly hydrated and a shaggy ball of dough
                is formed.

Rest            15 minutes

Knead           Add the butter about a tablespoon at a time, kneading
                to incorporation with each addition. Continue kneading
                until all of the butter is incorporated and a smooth
                ball of dough is formed.

Refrigerate     12 to 24 hours

Prepare a sheet pan lined with parchment or silicone.

Divide          Remove from the refrigerator and immediately divide
                into 4 pieces. The dough will be stiff and may have
                risen slightly.

Rest            15 to 30 minutes. The dough should be slightly softer
                but still cool to the touch.

Shape           Pat the balls of dough into a rectangular shape, about
                4 inches by 12 inches. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of grated
                Edam cheese over the dough. Roll tightly into logs and
                pinch the seams to seal.

                Coil the rolled dough into a tight spiral and tuck the
                outer end underneath the dough. Proofing the shaped
                dough in appropriately sized brioche or tart pans is
                nice but not necessary.

                Place the shaped ensaimada on the lined sheet pan.

Final Proof     About 2 hours at room temperature

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 175ºC

Glaze           Glaze with egg wash (optional)

Bake            Bake for 20 to 24 minutes at 350ºF / 175ºC, rotating
                the pan halfway through baking. The center of the loaf
                will register 185ºF / 85ºC to 190ºF / 88ºC when done. 

Cool            At least 30 minutes

Toppings        Top with any combination of softened butter, granulated
                sugar, or grated Edam cheese (optional)

The fourth one didn’t make it for the shoot.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Ensaimada – Filipino Cheese Brioche

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Two-in-one recipes are more fun when booze is involved. That is fact. In this recipe, we end up with bonus snifters of basic vino caliente, or South American mulled wine, to go with blushing red poached pears. Granted, there isn’t anything exclusively South American about the spiced wine component, but vino caliente sounds much cooler than “hot wine,” doesn’t it?

Once the pears are poached, some of the spiced wine is simmered down into a light and fruity syrup. The wine reduction keeps the richness of the dulce de leche sauce in check.

Warm dessert. Spiced wine. Winter will be over before you know it. For sunnier days, serve the pears with dulce de leche ice cream or make a granita out of the leftover vino.

recipe adapted from Maria Baez Kijac’s The South American Table

Peras con Salsa de Dulce de Leche
Poached Pears with Dulce de Leche Sauce

makes 4 generous servings

4 ripe but firm Anjou or Bartlett pears
walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped for garnishing

For the Poaching Liquid:

1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
a strip of zest from 1 lemon or lime

For the Dulce de Leche Sauce:

1/2 cup dulce de leche
1/2 cup light whipping cream
1 tablespoon rum or brandy (optional)

Notes:

• The poached pears, spiced wine syrup, and dulce de leche sauce can be made ahead of time. Reheat just before serving.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the poaching liquid. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the red wine, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and citrus zest to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. While the poaching liquid simmers, prepare the pears. Peel, cut in half lengthwise, and core to remove the seeds.
3. Add the pears to the poaching liquid. Cover and poach the pears for about 10 minutes, until tender but still firm. Transfer the pears to a large platter.
   
4. Remove all but 1 cup of the poaching liquid from the saucepan (reserve the excess wine and enjoy as a warm beverage). Simmer the remaining wine over medium heat until reduced by half and slightly thickened.
5. Prepare the dulce de leche sauce. Heat the dulce de leche and cream over medium heat. Stir until smooth and continue cooking only until the sauce is heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum or brandy (if using).
6. Spoon a few tablespoons of the dulce de leche sauce on small serving plates. Slice the poached pears and set on top of the dulce de leche sauce. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the spiced wine syrup over the pear slices and top with walnuts or pecans. Serve while still warm.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Poached Pears with Dulce de Leche Sauce

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Pierre Hermé’s hot chocolate recipe calls for milk sweetened with cinnamon-infused caramel. A mug of spiced hot chocolate in the dead of winter sounds tough to resist, doesn’t it? I usually skip drinks unless there’s caffeine or booze involved, but this definitely counts as an exception.

Which is not to say that this hot chocolate drink can’t be spiked with alcohol. Monsieur Pierre recommends a splash of rum or orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier, so I think I’ll pass on the eggnog and go for something like this instead.

recipe adapted from Pierre Herme’s Chocolate Desserts

Pierre Herme’s Caramel Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

makes 2 servings

Milk sweetened with cinnamon-infused caramel – reminds me of dulce de leche

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups whole milk (540 ml)
1/4 cup water (60 ml)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
1 cinnamon stick
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted (113 grams)

Notes:

• Pierre Hermé has a thing for Valrhona and this hot chocolate recipe is no exception. He suggests using Valrhona Noir Gastronomie (61% cacao).

Instructions:

1. Heat the milk and water just to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat.
2. In a separate saucepan, heat the sugar with the cinnamon over medium heat. Leave the sugar undisturbed until it begins to caramelize and take on color around the edges. Gently swirl the syrup around the pan at this point until the sugar is completely melted. Continue heating the caramel until dark amber.
3. Watch out for sputtering hot syrup and steam in the following step. Pour the milk over the caramel and cinnamon (the milk might foam up as it boils). Stir until the caramel is completely dissolved.
4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate. Discard the cinnamon stick.
5. Using an immersion or regular blender, whip the hot chocolate for about 1 minute.
6. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Caramel cinnamon hot chocolate can be made up to 2 days ahead.

Maligayang Pasko!

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Hot Chocolate with Caramel and Cinnamon

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Anyone who hasn’t tried Haagen-Dazs’ dulce de leche ice cream will have a hard time guessing what flavor this is. Not quite caramel or butterscotch, this is one of those ice cream flavors that make people go, “Oh my gulay* this is so good. What flavor is this?”

Dulce de leche ice cream comes  in a low-key shade of light brown so it’s not the most exciting-looking frozen dessert, but one spoonful and finicky preferences won’t matter. This ice cream flavor is a certified crowd pleaser.

It’s also really easy to make because it uses an egg-free ice cream base. The pre-churn chilling does take a bit of time, but you’ll get the best flavor and consistency with an overnight rest in the fridge.

* Filipino version of OMG. Translates to “Oh my vegetable.” Doesn’t make sense to me either.

recipe adapted from Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

makes about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream, depending on overrun

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups whole milk (18.5 ounces / 525 grams)
1 1/4 cups dulce de leche (14 ounces / 396 grams)
1/2 cup heavy cream (4.6 ounces / 130 grams)
a splash of vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Notes:

• If you’re making your own dulce de leche from sweetened condensed milk, this recipe uses exactly one 14-ounce / 396-gram can.
• Make dulce de leche from scratch, or by heating up sweetened condensed milk in its own can or in a bain-marie.

Special Equipment:

• an ice cream maker
  

Instructions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk and dulce de leche just to a boil, stirring until the dulce de leche is dissolved.
2. Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt.
3. Cool completely at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.
4. Churn, churn, churn.
5. Serve immediately for a soft-serve consistency or store in an airtight container and freeze.

Links Related to Dulce de Leche Ice Cream:

• A plated dessert using dulce de leche ice cream from No Special Effects
• Alternative dulce de leche ice cream recipes from Küchenlatein and Smitten Kitchen

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

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6. Mangoes and Cream – 7 Ways to Indulge

You know you’re on the right track if your most trusted recipe sources agree on procedures for classics such as this one. This recipe for dulce de leche, a thick caramelized milk sauce essential in South American desserts, is adapted from Alton Brown, Saveur, and Wayne Gisslen.

While the instructions and cooking times differ slightly, all three sources agree on the use of baking soda, a key ingredient which may be a bit unexpected. The baking soda tips the slight acidity of milk towards alkalinity. This is important for two reasons (excuse me while I put on my lab coat):

• Alkalinity keeps milk proteins from curdling
  For the same reason adding vinegar to milk makes cheese, mildly acidic milk, along with heat, may cause grittiness when milk proteins solidify. Adding the baking soda controls curdling to a certain degree, giving you a smoother dulce de leche.
• Alkalinity helps with browning
  Since dulce de leche is all about caramelization, a little help with getting that deep brown hue can’t hurt. One reason pretzels and bagels are boiled in a lye solution is the alkalinity of the liquid — it helps brown the crust while baking.

recipe adapted from Alton Brown, Saveur, and Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking

Dulce de Leche (Spanish)
Doce de Leite (Portuguese)
Confiture de Lait (French)
Caramelized Milk Sauce

makes about 1 cup / 250 ml

Ingredients:

4 cups / 1000 ml whole milk
1 1/2 cups / 375 ml granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 vanilla bean, split OR 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Special Equipment:

• A skimmer

Instructions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, and baking soda.
2. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat without stirring. A foamy layer will develop on top as it reaches a boil.
3. Remove from the heat when it reaches a boil. Skim the foamy layer on top and return to the stovetop over medium heat.
4. If using the split vanilla bean, add it at this point.
5. Continue to simmer gently for 1 hour over medium heat, skimming the top as needed and stirring occasionally.
6. If using the split vanilla bean, remove and discard it at this point.
7. Continue to simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours over medium heat, stirring often. Once the dulce de leche reaches a deep caramel color and thick consistency, watch it closely. Stir continuously to prevent the bottom from scorching.
   
   Watch out for scorching when it gets to this stage
8. Reduce the heat to low when dragging a spatula across the bottom of the pan leaves trails.
   
   Happy trail
9. Fine-tune the consistency to your liking at this point, keeping in mind that dulce de leche will stiffen slightly as it cools. You can thin dulce de leche by adding small amounts of water if it gets too thick.
10. Strain the dulce de leche.
11. If using vanilla extract, add it at this point.
12. Cool to room temperature before storing.

Dulce de Leche Storage:

Refrigerated in an airtight container, dulce de leche will keep for up to a month (as if it will last that long).

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Dulce de Leche Recipe

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6. Challah Recipe from The New York Times

Braided loaves intimidate me. Even more intimidating is this double-decker challah recipe from Sara, but it turns out to be a pleasure to work with. It’s an excellent introduction to an essential decorative bread shaping technique shared across many cultures.

I guess it’s time to revisit all of the recipes for braided breads that I overlooked — a 100% whole grain version for challah comes to mind.

Bread Baking Buddies: Challah
hosted by Sara of I Like to Cook

recipe adapted from Sara of I Like to Cook

Challah Recipe from The New York Times

makes 2 loaves

Blue poppy seeds

Final Dough Formula:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose flour                 6.5 cups       29.25         829
granulated sugar                  3 tbsp          1.6           45
kosher salt                       1 tbsp           .35          10
instant yeast                     2 tsp
butter, at room temperature     1/2 cup           4            113
powdered saffron              pinch
water, lukewarm                   1 cup           8            227
large eggs, room temperature      3
egg white from 1 egg (reserve the yolk for the egg wash)

Egg wash: 1 teaspoon cold water plus 1 egg yolk

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the final dough ingredients until evenly
                incorporated.

Knead           10 to 12 minutes (the dough will be firm)

Bulk Ferment    1 hour at room temperature

Divide          2 equal pieces. Divide each piece into 2 smaller
                pieces, such that the weight of 1 smaller piece
                is twice the weight of the other. Finally,
                divide each smaller piece into 3 equal portions.

Rest            15 minutes

Preshape        Shape each piece into strands of equal length,
                about 10 inches long.

Shape           Four sets of 3-strand braids. Place each smaller braid
                on top of the larger braid.

I’m pretty pleased with myself at this point.

Preheat Oven    400ºF / 205ºC

Final Proof     60 minutes at room temperature, or until almost
                doubled in size

Glaze           Glaze the proofed challah dough with the egg wash.
                Sprinkle the poppy seeds on top.

Bake            Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 400ºF/205ºC, rotating the
                loaves halfway through baking if necessary.

Cool            At least 1 hour

Challah crust

Challah crumb

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Challah Recipe from The New York Times

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This is, without a doubt, the best recipe for pizza dough I’ve ever tried. Chilled flour, ice-cold water, salt, and a small amount of yeast are mixed together and immediately refrigerated in this unique method that draws out the complex flavors locked inside the flour. This delayed fermentation process is arguably the most important, and thankfully, also the easiest, technique in Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.

When flour is hydrated, starch is slowly broken down into simpler sugars. Since the dough is kept very cold and immediately refrigerated, the yeast falls asleep and doesn’t snack on these carbohydrates until removed from cold storage. Compared to dough developed using conventional methods, the result is a naturally sweeter dough courtesy of the larger reserve of fermentable sugars.

More carbs for the yeast. More carbs for you. Everybody’s happy. Until the yeast meets its end on a 600ºF baking stone, that is.

The Daring Bakers – Pizza Napoletana Dough
hosted by Rosa’s Yummy Yums

pizza dough recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

Pizza Napoletana Margherita
Neapolitan-Style Pizza with Buffalo Milk Mozzarella

For the Pizza Dough:

makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts

Ingredients              Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour, chilled      4 1/2 cups         20.25         574
sea salt                  1 3/4 tsp            .44          12
instant yeast                 1 tsp            .11           3
water, ice cold           1 3/4 cups         14            399

Notes:

• You can also substitute all-purpose or high-gluten flour to replace the bread flour. The ideal flour to use is Italian wheat flour type “00″ (doppio zero).
• Here’s a ridiculously detailed specification sheet for making authentic Pizza Napoletana. Very useful if you happen to have a wood-fired brick oven in your backyard.

Pizza Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the pizza dough ingredients until evenly
                incorporated

Knead           6 to 8 minutes

Rest            5 to 15 minutes

Knead           1 minute to further strengthen the gluten

Divide          6 equal pieces

Preshape        Shape each piece into a loose ball

In a sealable container, store the dough in the refrigerator at
least overnight, or keep for up to three days.

For the Pizza Margherita Toppings:

approximate amounts for each pizza crust

Because I take homemade pizza way too seriously.

fresh or canned plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, preferably San Marzano varietal
a pinch of sea salt
mozzarella cheese, preferably made with buffalo milk, about 3 to 4 ounces
extra virgin olive oil, about 1 to 2 teaspoons
fresh basil leaves, torn

cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting the pizza peel

Notes:

• Pizza Napoletana Margherita is traditionally baked with the basil on top, but I prefer to add the torn leaves immediately after pulling from the oven.
• When dusting the pizza peel, use more cornmeal or semolina flour than you think you’ll need. There’s nothing worse than stuck pizza dough.

To Bake and Assemble Pizza Napoletana Margherita:

Remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2
hours before baking.

Preheat Oven    Preheat to the maximum temperature, preferably with a
                baking stone. You can also use a heavy gauge sheet pan
                that won't warp at high temperatures.

Preshape        Preshape the pizza dough into a disk about 4 to 5
                inches wide.

Rest            About 15 minutes

Shape           Toss the pizza dough by bouncing it on your fists,
                until about 9 to 12 inches in diameter. It's a bit
                harder than it sounds and takes a bit of practice.
                The edges will be much thicker than the center.

The Tomatoes    In a spiraling motion from the center, apply a thin
                layer of tomatoes. Evenly distribute a pinch of sea salt
                over the tomatoes.

The Cheese      Spread about 3 to 4 ounces of sliced mozzarella over the
                tomato sauce. Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

Shake           Before loading the oven, make sure that the pizza
                is not stuck to the peel. Shake the pizza loose until
                it slides around freely.

Bake            Bake until slightly charred on the edges. It takes
                about 4 to 5 minutes when baked on a screaming hot
                baking stone in my oven. Your mileage may vary.

A bit overdone, maybe? I was kind of going for this look.

Serve           Sprinkle with the torn basil leaves and cut into 6 to 8
                pieces using a pizza cutter or large knife.

                Serve immediately.

Homemade Pizza Napoletana Margherita. Close enough for me.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pizza Napoletana Margherita – Neapolitan-Style Pizza

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