Cook the Books

Stromboli

Mia King

Yields 1 loaf, serves 6-8

Dough:

2 tsp. dry yeast

1? cups water (plus extra if needed), divided

3? cups unbleached flour

1? tsp. salt

3 tbsp. olive oil

Filling and topping:

14 oz. mozzarella or provolone cheese, cubed

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

3 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 tsp. coarse sea salt

3 sprigs rosemary, stems removed

1 tsp. pepper

Other filling options:

2 tbsp. dried thyme or dried Italian seasoning

1 handful fresh basil leaves

1 cup black olives, chopped

? cup onion, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle yeast in 1 cup of room-temperature water. Leave for 5 minutes, then stir to dissolve.

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast- and-water mixture and the olive oil. Mix in the flour from the sides, stirring in the reserved water as needed, to form a soft, sticky dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth, silky, and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1? -2 hours. Punch down and chafe (see note) for 5 minutes, and then let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into a 14” x 8” rectangle. Cover with a dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Spread the cheese, garlic, and anything else you’d like to add evenly over the dough. Roll the dough like a Swiss roll or jellyroll, starting at one of the shorter sides, but don’t roll it too tightly. Pinch the edges of the seam and tuck the ends under.

Place on an oiled baking sheet. Use a skewer or carving fork to pierce several holes all the way through the dough to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil, salt, rosemary leaves, and pepper.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly, then drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top.

Chafing the dough: Hold the dough and curve your hands around it and use your palms to pull at the sides gently while you slowly rotate it, letting your fingers meet underneath. You should be left with a neat, smooth ball.

Watermelon Antipasti

Justin Hamilton, chef at LTK Bar and Kitchen

Boston, MA

www.ltkbarandkitchen.com

Serves 4-6

1 cup seedless watermelon, cut into 1“ cubes

8 oz. fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, sliced into ? ” rings

? lb. Parma prosciutto, thinly sliced

Arrange watermelon, cheese, and prosciutto on a plate, “shingling” the ingredients (overlapping one of each). Repeat until all ingredients are used.

Sweet Balsamic Syrup:

2 cups balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

Add balsamic vinegar and sugar to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half. Turn off heat when liquid coats the back of a spoon.

Drizzle the prosciutto plate with the sweet balsamic syrup.

Salt-Crusted Chicken

Justin Hamilton

Serves 4

1 3-5-lb. chicken

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 cups coarsely ground sea salt

1 sprig of rosemary

1 bunch of basil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rub chicken with oil, season with freshly ground pepper and a small amount of the salt, making sure to season the inside of the chicken. Place rosemary and basil inside of chicken. Set the chicken in a roasting pan, then cover the entire chicken with the rest of the salt until it is thickly coated. Roast for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Remove from the oven and break off the salt rub before serving.

Tiramien

Justin Hamilton

Serves 6

2 egg whites

4 egg yolks

1? cup confectioner’s sugar

1? cups mascarpone cheese

3 cups extra strong coffee (brew twice as much coffee to

water)

2 oz. Frangelico

2 oz. Myers’s dark rum

7 oz. ladyfingers (approximately 1 package)

2 cups cocoa powder

1 Hershey’s milk chocolate bar

Stiffly whisk the egg whites in a bowl until they form peaks. In a different bowl, beat the egg yolks and confectioner’s sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gently fold the mascarpone cheese into the yolk mixture, then slowly fold in the egg whites, making sure that all the ingredients are well blended but still fluffy.

Mix the coffee, Frangelico, and rum in a flat-bottom pan. Dip each ladyfinger completely into the coffee mixture and then arrange on the bottom of a deep, rectangular serving dish.

Spread a layer of mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers and then sprinkle cocoa powder over the top. Repeat this layering process until the dish is full, and finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Using a fine grater, grate chocolate bar over the top of cake.