Cook Like a Rock Star (13 page)

SERVES: 4 • TIME: ABOUT 1½ HOURS, MOSTLY UNATTENDED

My mom is a florist so I love flowers—especially big orange ones like zucchini blossoms! I make zucchini blossoms stuffed full of creamy ricotta cheese and then fry them until they’re golden and crispy. In my opinion, zucchini blossoms are nature’s perfect little packages. What’s better than a crispy, crunchy, cheesy flower? A crispy, crunchy, cheesy flower on a bread salad—a gorgeous mix of perfectly ripe tomatoes, basil, cucumber, red onion, and bread, which softens when it absorbs all the veggies’ wonderful juices.

MISE EN PLACE

FOR THE PANZANELLA

1¼ cups red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1½ teaspoons sugar

2 shots of Tabasco or other hot sauce

1 clove garlic, smashed

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

½ Kirby cucumber, sliced into ⅛-inch rounds

6 1-inch slices stale Italian bread, crusts removed, and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half

6 fresh basil leaves, cut into a
chiffonade

2 to 3 tablespoons big fat finishing oil

FOR THE BLOSSOMS

8 zucchini blossoms

1½ cups ricotta cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella, or any other good melting cheese

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano

1 bunch of fresh Italian parsley, leaves finely chopped

Kosher salt

Peanut or other neutral-flavored oil

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ to 1 cup dry white wine

FOR THE PANZANELLA

1
Combine the vinegar, 1 cup water, the salt, sugar, Tabasco, and garlic in a large jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid and shake, shake, shake to combine. Add the onion and cucumber, shake again, and let sit for at least 1 hour. (You’re making pickles here, and this step can totally be done ahead of time—like yesterday!)

2
Put the bread in a large bowl with ½ to 1 cup of water to soften. Squeeze and knead the bread with your hands, then let it sit for 30 minutes.

3
Squeeze out any excess water from the bread, put the bread back in the bowl, and crumble it through your fingers. Toss in the tomatoes, add the pickled onion and cucumber (strain these out and reserve the liquid), and stir to combine. Add the basil and some finishing oil; taste it to make sure it’s delicious. Sprinkle in a few drops of the pickling liquid or a bit more oil if needed; reserve.

FOR THE BLOSSOMS

1
Wiggle your finger into the blossom down to the base, where the flower meets the stem, and carefully break off and remove the stamen (be gentle—you don’t want to rip through the blossom while doing this). Repeat with all the blossoms.

2
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmigiano, and parsley and season with salt—taste and reseason if needed. Put the ricotta mix into a pastry bag, carefully insert the tip of the bag into the flower, and fill; then gently close your hand around the flower to secure it. Place the stuffed blossom on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining flowers.

3
Pour peanut oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat; the oil should come 1½ to 2 inches up the sides of the pan. While the oil heats, set up your drying situation next to the stove by putting a couple layers of paper towels on a baking sheet. To see if the oil is hot enough, drop a bit of flour into it. If it sizzles, you’re good to go. If the oil begins to smoke, it’s too hot, so reduce the heat.

4
Combine the flour and wine in a large bowl to make a very loose batter. Start with ¾ cup of wine and add more if needed.

5
Working in batches, dip each blossom in the batter to coat it and then gently put each blossom in the oil, being careful not to over-crowd the pan. Let the blossoms cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then turn them over; the blossoms are done when they’re still light in color but nice and crispy on the outside. Remove the flowers from the oil with a slotted spoon or fish spatula, put them on the paper towels, and immediately sprinkle with salt.

6
Divide the reserved panzanella between serving plates and top each with two crispy blossoms.

Flower power!

Grilled Pizzetta with Stracchino, Sausage, Arugula & Chili Oil

MAKES: 6 • TIME: ABOUT 1½ HOURS, MOSTLY UNATTENDED

I love the charred flavor of grilled pizza. You can top it with anything, of course, but this version is one of my favorites. It’s crispy and crunchy, kind of like a grilled cracker. Whenever I eat pizza I always give it a sprinkey-dink of crushed red pepper—it’s just better with a little kick! That’s why I make this infused oil for my pizzetta. It’s an amazing way to get a big flavor bump, and while I love this chili oil on pizza, it’s great on lots and lots of things.

MISE EN PLACE

FOR THE CHILI OIL

5 to 6 Fresno chili peppers, roughly chopped

1½ cups extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE DOUGH

1½ teaspoons active dry yeast

½ teaspoon sugar

1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl and grill

FOR THE PIZZA TOPPING

Extra virgin olive oil

½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 pound stracchino or other mild, creamy cheese, such as ricotta, Taleggio, or Fontina, at room temperature

1 bunch of arugula, trimmed

FOR THE CHILI OIL

Bring the chilies and oil to a simmer in a small saucepan; remove from the heat and let the peppers steep in the oil for at least an hour or until the dough has risen and you’re ready to make the pizzas. This can be done WAY in advance.

FOR THE DOUGH

1
While the oil steeps (look at you—multitasking!), combine the yeast, sugar, and ½ cup warm (NOT HOT!) water in a small bowl. Stir to combine and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes until foamy and yeasty-smelling.

2
Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl; make a well in the center of the flour and add the olive oil and the yeast mixture. Using a fork, stir until the flour and liquids are well combined. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured, clean work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 6 to 7 minutes. Lightly coat the mixing bowl with olive oil, return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3
When the dough is ready, portion it into six golf-ball-size pieces. Dust a work surface with flour and roll each piece of dough into a rectangle (or whatever shape you like; I like irregular shapes). If you’re not using the dough right away, wrap each ball individually in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR THE TOPPING AND PIZZA ASSEMBLY

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F. and preheat the grill.

2
Coat a large sauté pan with oil, add the sausage, and bring to medium heat. Cook the sausage until brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

3
Brush the grill with oil and arrange each piece of dough on the grill; you might need to work in batches here. Grill until the dough is stiff and crisp and has lovely grill marks on it, then flip and repeat on the second side, moving occasionally so the bottom doesn’t burn.

4
Put the pizzas on baking sheets, schmear each with some stracchino, top with sausage, and put as many pizzas as will comfortably fit in the oven; bake until the cheese has melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Again, you may have to work in batches. Remove the pizzas from the oven, top with arugula, and drizzle with the deliciously spicy chili oil!

Mamma mia, whatta pizza!

I like fresno peppers because they’re medium hot, but you can use what you like—if you prefer a hotter or milder chili, knock yourself out!

When you’re making any kind of yeast dough, be sure the water you use is warm—if the water is too hot it will kill the yeast; if it is too cold, the yeast won’t activate. A good way to be sure the water is the correct temperature is to run it over your fingers—if it feels nice and warm, it’s fine.

SERVES: 4 • TIME: ABOUT 1¼ HOURS, MOSTLY UNATTENDED

Escarole is one of those greens I LOOOOOVE to use in a salad. It has a firm texture and an exciting flavor; to me it’s a sleeper hit. Whether you cook it or dress it with a nice bright vinaigrette, escarole stands up to whatever you dish out—it’s a green with a strong personality. Add a big ol’ acid punch with these onions, and this is what I call a party in your mouth.

MISE EN PLACE

FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS

½ cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 or 3 really good shots of Tabasco or other hot sauce

1 red onion, sliced into very thin rings

FOR THE ESCAROLE SALAD

½ cup freshly grated Pecorino

½ cup walnuts,
toasted

1 bunch of fresh chives

1 head of escarole, cut into bite-size pieces

Big fat finishing oil

Kosher salt

FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS

Combine the vinegar with ½ cup cold water in a small bowl. Add the salt, sugar, and Tabasco and stir to combine; add the onion and let sit for at least 1 hour.

FOR THE ESCAROLE SALAD

Put the Pecorino, walnuts, and chives in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. In a large bowl, toss the escarole with the walnut mixture and some of the pickled red onions. Dress with a bit of the pickling liquid and finishing oil. Season with salt.