pizza, flatbread, & crackers

Pizza, flatbread, & crackers pretty much speak for themselves. They are carby, savory, delicious vehicles for layers of other ingredients. Load them up with meat, fish, cheese, jams, spreads, dips, or eat them plain to celebrate their glutenous excellence. They really are the epitome of comfort food.

Enjoy them by a cozy fire in the winter months or al fresco with friends in warmer weather. They can be scaled up or down depending on the size need, and they will pretty much satisfy any group. They can also work for any meal of the day or snack.

Pizza, flatbread, & crackers will never disappoint and always delight.

By:
On:
In: pizza, flatbread, & crackers, sourdough
Tagged: , , , ,
With: 0 Comments

The dough for these sourdough bites is one of my favorites to make using a sourdough starter. It’s fairly simple to mix up, but the 14 hour bulk fermentation helps it develop a deep, complex flavor. Yes, that seems long, but trust me, it is worth the wait. 

I cut these sourdough bites into squares, but feel free to make them round or different shapes, it is really a matter of preference. The prosciutto nicely mingles with the verdant peas, the salty grana padano, and a slight bite of cracked black pepper. Grana padano is super similar to parmesan cheese, but it is slightly sweeter and aged for a shorter period of time. Have these sourdough bites as an any-time-of-day snack or a meal with a side salad or greens!

ingredients

for the dough

  • 50g butter
  • 150g water
  • 100g sourdough starter 100% hydration
  • 50g sugar
  • 350g flour
  • 18g salt

for the toppings and assembly

dough steps

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and water then add the starter and mix until combined. Add in the sugar and mix, then add in the flour and salt and mix until the dough is evenly combined. It will be shaggy at first but become blended and somewhat sticky as you mix. With wet hands, pinch and press the dough until it is smooth then cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 2 hours. 

After the dough has rested for 2 hours, stretch the top of it up and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl 90° to the right and pull the top of the dough up and over. Repeat this 8 times total. Let the dough sit for another hour then repeat the folding process 8 more times. Let the dough sit for one more hour then repeat the series of folds one last time, for a total of three stretch and fold sequences.

Let the dough rest for ~14 hours overnight until it has doubled in size. After this bulk fermentation, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and cut it into squares. I used a 2 ¾ x 2 ¾-inch square cutter, but you can just as easily use a knife.

Let the squares rest for 1-2 hours until they puff up. After this final rest, preheat the oven to 375°F.

assembly steps

Drizzle about ½ teaspoon of olive oil on each square, then top with prosciutto, grana padano, and peas. I like to create a sort of border around the squares with the prosciutto and cheese, then spoon some peas directly in the center. Top with cracked black pepper.

With the oven at 375°F, bake for 20 minutes, then turn the oven up to 450°F and bake for 10 more minutes. 

By:
On:
In: pizza, flatbread, & crackers, sourdough discard recipes
Tagged: , , ,
With: 0 Comments

I love experimenting with different sourdough discard recipes. The possibilities seem endless, and the concept seems obvious – why waste precious, vibrant discard when you can use it to make a delicious new creation? In the vast world of sourdough discard recipes, sourdough crackers rank high on the list of favorites.

Sourdough sesame aleppo pepper crackers combine fruity spice and earthy nuttiness to augment the discard’s sour tang. Pair these with your cheese of choice, a sweet jam, or a charcuterie spread for a helping of flavor and crunch!

ingredients

  • ½ cup sourdough starter discard
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon aleppo pepper
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • Flaky salt for dusting 

steps

Place the starter and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium low with the dough hook. Gradually add in the flour and salt and mix until it is evenly combined, then add in the sesame seeds and aleppo pepper. Transfer the dough to a bowl brushed with the neutral oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 2 hours.

After the dough has rested for 2 hours, preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces and working with one piece at a time, roll it out using a rolling pin and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until crisp and golden. 

By:
On:
In: party food, pizza, flatbread, & crackers
Tagged: , , , , , ,
With: 0 Comments

Socca is a giant chickpea flatbread from the south of France and the Ligurian coast of Italy, where it is known as farinata. I really enjoy serving it for dinner parties because it is a delicious base on which to pile vegetables and protein and it is gluten-free and vegan which means highly inclusive. Here is one flavor pairing I really enjoy – socca with harissa aioli, shrimp, asparagus, and arugula.

Coating the socca with a layer of harissa aioli creates a sort of adhesive for the vegetables. Caramelized red onion adds a hint of sweetness and peppery arugula and scallions complement the crisp asparagus and delicate shrimp. Socca with harissa aioli, shrimp, asparagus, and arugula is a delicious meal in celebration of spring.

serves 4-6 (6 with another side)

ingredients

for the harissa aioli

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 cup neutral oil
  • 2 tablespoons harissa paste

for the socca

  • 2 cups chickpea flour
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons parsley

for vegetables & shrimp

  • 1 pound shrimp, deveined with the tails removed
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 medium red onion, sliced
  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed (bend the ends off and wherever they snap is where to trim them)
  • 2 cups arugula
  • ¼ cup scallions, sliced

harissa aioli steps

Place the garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the egg, mustard, and lemon juice and pulse until blended. Slowly drizzle in the oil while the food processor runs to ensure the mixture fully emulsifies. Once the consistency thickens, mix in the harissa. There will definitely be extra harissa aioli from this recipe, so feel free to use it on any bread, vegetables, potatoes, meat, etc. The harissa aioli will keep for 3 months in the refrigerator.

socca steps

Combine the chickpea flour, warm water, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley in a large bowl and whisk until you have an even consistency without lumps. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

While the batter nears the end of its resting, preheat the oven to 450°F, and place a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet in the oven as it heats up. After 20 minutes, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and swirl it around. Pour ¼ of the batter (about 1 cup) into the pan. Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes until it begins to brown on the edges and can be lifted from the pan. I like to flip it and cook it for an additional 3 minutes on the other side, but you don’t have to do that. 

Repeat with the remaining batter and while the remaining socca cook, prepare your vegetables and shrimp.

vegetables & shrimp steps

Fill a kettle with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, marinate the shrimp in the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and set it aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the sliced red onion. Cook until caramelized, 7-10 minutes. While the onion cooks, place the asparagus in a colander in the sink and pour the boiling water over it to blanch it. Immediately transfer it to the pan with the onion and saute for 5-7 minutes. 

In a separate skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Transfer the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on one side then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp as you will wind up with rubbery bands. The shrimp will turn from grey to pink when they are finished cooking.

assembly steps

Spread a layer of harissa aioli over the socca and top with ½ cup arugula, ¼ of the asparagus and onions, and ¼ pound of the shrimp. Cut each socca in quarters (you will have 16 pieces) and serve warm or at room temperature!