Homemade Focaccia with Sea Salt and Rosemary

Focaccia

3 ½ cups 00 Flour or unbleached flour

1 packet instant yeast

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt for dough, more for topping

1 1/2 cups warm (100 degree) water, plus extra as needed

Extra-virgin olive oil for the bowl

2-3 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for top of focaccia

Drizzle thick balsamic vinegar

Making the dough:

Place the flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl or use a food processor and pulse. With the machine running, add enough warm water to make soft dough that does not stick to the sides of the processor bowl; pulse for 30-45 seconds. If the dough is dry, add a little more water. When you have dough a formed, transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead 5-8 minutes until the dough bounces back at the tough using your thumb. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl; cover with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest and rise at room temperature 2-3 hours.

Baking the dough:

When you are ready to bake the focaccia, preheat the oven with a baking stone if available to 500F. It’s best to bake at the convection setting.

Drizzle a little oil on a baking sheet if you don’t have a baking stone.  Stretch the dough  on the baking sheet.  If the dough is not relaxed the dough may not stretch.  Just leave the semi-stretch dough on the baking sheet and cover again with a kitchen towel for about 30-45 minutes.  Uncover and stretch the dough again, it should stretch easily. You do not need to stretch the dough perfectly to fit the shape of the baking sheet, rustic is better!

Once the dough is stretched on the baking sheet, drizzle the olive oil all over the focaccia, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh rosemary.  Transfer the focaccia to the hot oven and bake about 15-20 minutes until the dough is golden on the bottom and lightly golden on the top. Remove from oven and baking sheet and cut into squares.  For a delicious finish, drizzle an aged or thick balsamic on top.

 

00 flour

Tip: if the dough is still a little sticky when removed from the bowl or processor, sprinkle some flour on the surface and knead the flour in. Keep repeating this process until you have supple dough. 

 

Fig Marmalade or Preserve

I love adding fig preserve on top of the focaccia when it comes out of the oven hot, and then serving it as a dessert with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Enjoy!

Cranberries in Marsala Wine

Fresh Cranberries

Cranberries in Marsala Wine

2 small bags Ocean Spray fresh cranberries

Zest 1 orange

Juice ½ orange

Pinch salt

1/3-1/2 cup Marsala wine

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 bay leaf

Freshly cracked black pepper

In a small casserole, add all of the ingredients and cook on medium-low until it begins to boil. Turn heat to low, stir and continue to cook until most of the cranberries are soft. Stir, taste and add more brown sugar if you like.  If too thick, add a little warm water.  Serve warm or cool. 

I love fresh cranberry sauce but not when it's very sweet.  I like to cook with Marsala wine so I experimented.. and it turned out JUST like I wanted !!!!!

Easy Italian Apricot Marmalade Tarta

Apricot Marmalade Tarta 

2 ready-made pie crusts (or make from scratch)

1 ½ cups apricot marmalade

1 bay leaf

Pinch salt

Pinch freshly ground pepper

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place one pie crust evenly in a 9 pinch tart pan. Prick holes at the bottom of the tart pan. The crust will not be deep, about 1/2 inch in thickness.  

In a small pan, warm the apricot marmalade with the bay leaf, salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf, and transfer marmalade to the tart pan. 

Cut six to eight (½ inch) strips of dough with the remaining pie crust to cover the top of the tart pan. Create any design you like. Brush the dough strips lightly with egg wash and place in the oven.  Bake at 180° about 30-40 minutes or until the tart is golden.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan.  Serve with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

Apricot marmalade

Apricot marmalade is one of my favorite preserves. It is often used in Italy for pastries, cookies, and tarts. My apricot tart is a classic and simple Italian pastry that can be accomplished in just a few steps. It takes minutes to prepare and less than 45 minutes to bake. I like it for breakfast, as a dessert or a snack with tea or cappuccino.

Easy Cooking with Alba : Kumquat Marmalade

Easy Cooking with Alba : Kumquat Marmalade: Kumquat Marmalade 1 pound fresh kumquats (organic, if possible) 4 ¾ cups granulated sugar 3 ½ cups water, divided 2 bay leave...

Kumquat Marmalade

Kumquat Marmalade

1 pound fresh kumquats (organic, if possible)

4 ¾ cups granulated sugar

3 ½ cups water, divided

2 bay leaves

Pinch salt

Pinch pepper

Juice ½ lemon

1/2 (1.75-ounce) package powdered pectin

Cut the kumquats in half lengthwise, discard seeds.

In a large deep pan, combine sugar, 3 cups water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the bay leaves, salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Mix ½ cup of water and pectin together. Add to the pan, stirring well.  Bring to a boil, simmer and cook about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; discard bay leaves, and skim foam off top. Yields about 4 cups. 

kumuats

A kumquat is a small and charming citrus fruit that may seem useless. Eaten fresh, its peel and pulp, does not have such an invigorating flavor, and it is filled with giant seeds. As a food, it may not be as tasty, but as marmalade it has an exotic flavor. It is a delicacy to impress even the most discerning guest.

Alba's Fresh Fig Marmalade

Fresh fig marmalade

30 fresh black mission figs

2 cups sugar

3 bay leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Place all the figs in a bowl with cold water; gently rinse.

Remove the stems.  Gently remove the figs from the water and gently dry with paper towels.

Cut the figs in half, lengthwise and place in a glass container. Add the sugar; gently fold, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Place the figs in a medium size saucepan. Tuck in the bay leaves, and add black pepper.  Cook on medium-low until it boils.  Reduce to low and cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes.  Figs should be soft not breaking apart. Stir occasionally and gently.

Transfer the figs, not the juice to a bowl. Keep the juices in the pan.  Cook the juices over medium-low until it reduces by half, stir often.  Remove the bay leaves.  Return figs to the thick sauce and gently fold. Allow to cool.  Transfer fig marmalade to a glass jar.  Serve warm or refrigerate up to a week.

Marinading figs with sugar overnight

Cooking the figs

Serve with pungent cheese, over a slice of cake, with prosciutto, or eat it right out of the jar!!!!

Homemade Fig Marmalade

1 pound fresh figs, washed and pat dry

3/4 pound or more granulated sugar
1/2 grated lemon zest
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 bay leaves

Pinch cracked black pepper

Directions:

1.      Marinade overnight: Cut the figs in half or quarters. Place them in a large non-metallic bowl.  Cover and gently fold with the sugar.  Refrigerate overnight in the bowl, covered and undisturbed.

2.      Cooking directions:  In a large saucepan, add the figs in sugar, zest, juice, pepper and bay leaves.  Cook on high until it reaches a boil.  You can skim/remove the foam if you like. Simmer to medium-low stirring occasionally.  Cooking time will depend on how cooked and thick you like the marmalade. I cook mine about 45-60 minutes. Remove the bay leaves before serving. The marmalade will thicken more as it cools. Best served warm.

 I love this marmalade warm, over ice cream, pound cake, toast, on cheese or simply right out of the saucepan warm with a tablespoon!

Rose Petal Marmalade

¼ lb. edible rose petals (free of pesticides)

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 bay leaf

2 cups water

Juice and zest of 1 lemon                       

Directions:
1. Pull out the rose pedals from the flower. Cut the bitter white bases from the rose petals and discard. Rinse the petals gently and pat them dry with towel paper.

2. Place rose petals in a non-metallic bowl. Add one layer of petals and another of sugar until you have used up all of the petals. Be sure the petals are all covered with the sugar. Cover and let set overnight in the refrigerator.

3. In a thick bottom saucepan and over low heat, add the water, lemon juice, the bay leaf, and 3/4 cup of sugar. Allow to dissolve. Add in the rose petals in sugar and let simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stirring only occasionally. Next, remove the bay leaf, increase heat to medium and bring to a boil for 5-8 minutes to allow the marmalade to thicken.

4. To test if the marmalade is thick enough, dip in a teaspoon in the marmalade and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. If the marmalade thickens on the spoon, it is ready and remove from heat. A marmalade will always thicken a bit when it cools. If it appears to be too loose, allow to cook a few more minutes and test again.

5. Place the warm marmalade in a glass jar allow to cool first, then refrigerate for up to two weeks. Enjoy with pungent cheese, on cakes, cupcakes, or just eat it with a spoon.

Orange Rosewater Marmalade

4 large oranges (rind of all 4, fruit section of 2 only)
3 cups water
4 ½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of white pepper
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoons rosewater
1 large bay leaf

Directions:

1. Remove the peel of the oranges in large slices leaving some of the inner white pith attached to the skin. Cut the peels into strips about 1 inch in length or smaller if you prefer.

2. In a medium sauce pan, add water about 2/3 of the way from the top of the pan. When the water boils, add the orange strips blanching the peels for 4-5 minutes. Drain the orange strips and rinse in cold water. Repeat this process one more time with a pot of new boiling the water, blanching the orange strips for 4-5 minutes and then drain and rinse again.

3. Place the 3 cups of water, sugar, salt, pepper, vanilla and rosewater in a large pan and bring to a boil on medium heat. Add the orange strips and bay leaf and simmer.

4. Remove the white pith from 2 of the 4 remaining oranges. Cut between the orange membranes so that only the fruit sections remain. Add the fruit sections to the simmering orange strips. Discard the membranes.

5. Simmer the marmalade until it becomes thick and translucent, about 1 ½ hours. Remove the bay leaf. The marmalade may still appear a little liquidly, it will thicken as it cools. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before serving. Serve warm on a slice of pound cake, toast, or even over ice cream, or store in airtight glass jars for up to two weeks.

This mouth-watering marmalade can be made with lemon rinds, tangerine, or mandarins which ever you prefer.