Food Fridays #9

Finally…Part Three of the Eggplant Parmesan Pizza recipe that starts with the Basic Pizza Dough with Italian Herbs and the World’s Best Pizza Sauce. The dough and sauce can, of course, be made separately or together for a myriad of delicious pizzas.

If you’re ambitious enough to attempt the whole Eggplant Parmesan Pizza recipe, make sure to read the whole thing before beginning. The recipe has five parts: the dough, the tomato sauce, the white sauce, the eggplants, and the pizza assembly. It cuts down on the cooking time significantly if you overlap different parts of the recipe (for example, make the sauces and drain the eggplants while the dough rises etc.…). You can, of course, also just use parts of this recipe to make other pizzas.

I also recommend making this for a group of friends, because it’s a good bit of work and you’ll want to share the yummy results!


Eggplant Parmesan Pizza

Basic Pizza Dough with Italian Herbs
World’s Best Pizza Sauce

White Sauce

3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground white pepper

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour, whisk briskly to blend until smooth, and cook, stirring about 2 minutes; do not brown. Add the milk all at once and whisk until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Pour the sauce into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface to prevent skin from forming, and set aside.


Eggplant Pizza

2 pounds globe eggplants, peeled and sliced crosswise about ½ inch thick
all-purpose flour for dredging eggplants
equal portions vegetable oil and olive oil for frying
salt
freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil for brushing pizza pan or screen
olive oil, for brushing crust and drizzling on top
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 oz), Parmigiano-Reggiano is the best
about 30 small whole fresh basil leaves, or 3 tbsp. minced fresh basil or oregano

Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt and place on paper towels. Cover with more paper towels and place a wooden board or heavy weight (evenly distributed) on top of the eggplant slices and paper towels for 30 minutes to draw out moisture.
Meanwhile, prepare the White Sauce and the Tomato Sauce.

Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge lightly in flour. Pour equal portions olive oil and vegetable oil into a sauté pan or heavy skillet to a depth of 2 inches, and heat over medium-high heat. Add as many of the eggplant slices as will fit comfortably without crowding the pan and brown on both sides. Continue to cook, turning several times, until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted utensil or tongs, transfer the eggplant to paper towels to drain; then season to taste with salt and pepper. Brown the remaining eggplant slices in the same manner, adding more oil as necessary to prevent sticking.

Brush pizza screen or ventilated pizza pan with vegetable oil; set aside. On a floured surface, roll out the dough and place on prepared screen or pan.

Brush the raw dough or the prebaked crust(s) all over with olive oil, then top with the eggplant slices, overlapping slightly and leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Spoon the White Sauce over the eggplant; then top with the Tomato Sauce. Sprinkle with about ¾ cup of the cheese and drizzle evenly with olive oil.

Transfer pizza to the preheated oven, and bake until crust is crisp and the cheese and toppings are bubbly, about 8 minutes for prebaked crusts, or 10 to 15 minutes for fresh dough. Remove from the oven and lightly brush the edges of the crust with olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and the whole or minced herb leaves. Slice and serve immediately.

the wonders of the Interweb

My two new favorite time wasters film-related websites:

Trailervision
(More fake movie trailers, but most of them are previewing original films that don't actually exist--some are political, some are hilarious, many of them are quite good.)

MovieRap.com
(Rappers write/rap film reviews)


Also, for those of you who, like me, are a little slow on the uptake and didn't see this when it first made the Underground Internet Circuit last fall, the Association of Independent Creative Editors had a competition for its assistant editors to see who could make a movie trailer with scenes from an actual film that made the film look like something completely different than it actually was (only soundtrack and voiceover could be altered). There was apparently quite a bit of buzz (even an article in the NY Times), but I missed it until now. Here are a couple of the (amazing) trailers. Context is everything, it seems:

Shining
(The Shining as a family drama)

Brokeback to the Future
(The Back to the Future trilogy as a love story)

West Side Story
(West Side Story as a zombie movie)

whack the mole

(Don't ask about the subject line, even I couldn't tell you what it means.)

Tales of my abduction and dismemberment have been grossly exaggerated. Really. I promise.

I thought I'd pop in to tell anyone who's reading that I'm fine and still lurking around and still know that I owe many of you emails and about 18 Food Fridays and so much more. And you'll get all of that. Very soon, I hope. I finally feel like I have a little bit of time to myself this weekend so hopefully I'll get back on the ball (no promises though that I'll stay on the ball after that, but rest assured that my repeated absences do not mean I'm going away permanently or anything).

So, news from the past few weeks:

1. Last week I was in Atlanta, GA for five days for a the Popular Cultural Association Conference with April, her friend and her friends' fiancee. We gave our papers, we tooled around the city, we enjoyed the 85 degree weather, we ate at the Flying Biscuit Cafe, which is wonderful and (unfortunately) yet another restaurant in a far-flung city that I'm in love with. We also met up with several good friends who now live in Atlanta, so that made the whole trip twice as lovely.

2. When I returned, I had to comment on fifteen 4-9 page papers (they were drafts so their length varied greatly) in two days. That was a bit harrowing, but this is the last batch of papers I'll have to look at before May 3, when classes end and my students turn in their final research papers.

3. My car got broken into Tuesday night (in my driveway!), and I was awoken by the car alarm, which obviously scared off the potential theif. They broke one of the windows and then tried to open to the door (and set off the alarm). I didn't have anything in my car, so it was more of a hassle than anything else--calling the police to file a report, calling insurance, getting my window replaced, getting the damage to the window casing and door frame assessed, etc.

4. I volunteered to be on the Programming committee of our city's LGBT film festival (mostly because a friend told me to do it, but also because it's fun) in my copious free time, so I've been watching a lot of queer films in the past few weeks (some good, many very very bad).

(Now that I've listed the things I've been doing, it really doesn't seem like I've been doing all that much, but, damn, it sure feels like I've been going non-stop for weeks. Maybe it's just that certain things, like Atlanta and the grading, took up a lot of my time.)

Now on to the things that I'll be doing in the next few weeks
(a.k.a. Deadlines, Deadlines, Deadlines):

1.I have a karate tournament on May 6th. I'll try to compete in Jiu-jitsu, too, but I'm not sure if they'll let me since I'll be the only woman competing and all the guys are bigger than me. I understand the concern that I'll get crushed like a little bug, but I think it would be a good experience (competing, not getting crushed). Either way, I'll definitely compete in karate--kata, weapons, sparring. Last time we had a karate tournament, I didn't do as well as I'd hoped so I actually need to practice beforehand this time (not just frantically the night before). Also, last time I got the crap beat out of me in sparring because one guy had no sense of control (we don't spar full contact) and blasted me so hard in the stomach that he knocked me over...twice. The irony was that I still won that match because power/strength has nothing to do with scoring points, and he kicked me in the head hard enough that the judges called a foul (kicks to the head can get you a lot of points, but you're not allowed to make more than light contact to the head). So, near the end of the match when he kicked me in the head again, his second foul of the match turned into a point for me and I won. I think it was poetic justice, especially since by then I was crying (but still fighting) in spite of myself. Hopefully there will be none of that this time around.

2. I'm going to Germany and France on May 13th for three weeks. I'm very excited, except #s 3-6 below all have to be completed before I leave.

3. On May 3, I'll be getting fifteen 8-10 page research papers that will need to be graded by the following week.

4. My paper on the L Word is due back to the editor by May 15th (technically, 13th). Have I started my revisions? Not really...unless you count thinking about it.

5. My conference paper on the L Word for the National Women's Studies Association Conference is due on June 1st. But since I'll be out of town then, I need to get it done before I go. Luckily, it's similar to the paper I'm publishing (#4).

6. I have to get a revised copy of my dissertation proposal to my committe before I leave the country.

Okay, that's all for now. [/whiny post]

Food Fridays #8

Part 2 of the three-part Food Fridays Eggplant Parmesan Pizza extravaganza (see also Part 1: Basica Pizza Dough with Italian Herbs).

I've gotten much lazier than I used to be when I first started making homemade pizzas a few years ago. That is to say that I rarely, if ever, make my own pizza dough by hand anymore (sometimes I buy it from the grocery store, sometimes I use April's bread machine). However, I always always always make my own pizza sauce...because this is the best pizza sauce in the world! And it's quite easy to make. Again, from James McNair's Vegetarian Pizza.


Basic Tomato Sauce

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
½ cup finely chopped, peeled carrot
½ cup finely chopped celery
2 tsp. minced or pressed garlic
3 cups peeled, seeded, chopped, and drained ripe or canned tomatoes
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. minced fresh basil or oregano (optional)
salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato, and vinegar. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium, and cook until thickened and most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Stir in the herbs (if used) about 5 minutes before the sauce is done. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer sauce to food processor with metal blade or to a blender. Process to a coarse puree. Set aside for immediate use, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 or 5 days.

Food Fridays #7

This is Part 1 of a three-part Food Fridays recipe for Eggplant Parmesan Pizza from the James McNair's Vegetarian Pizza cookbook. Both parts 1 and 2 can be used on their own to make really excellent pizza dough and pizza sauce, respectively.

Basic Pizza Dough with Italian Herbs

1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 cup warm (110˚ to 115˚ F) water
1 envelope (¼ oz.) active dry yeast
3 ¼ unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
3 tbsp. minced fresh herbs or 1 tbsp. crumbled dried herbs (optional)

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. (Water should be warm, but not hot or it will kill the yeast.) Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir gently until it dissolves. When yeast is mixed with the water at the right temperature, a smooth, beige mixture results. (If the yeast clumps together and the water stays clear, discard and start over with new yeast.) Let mixture stand in warm spot until a thin layer of creamy foam covers the surface, about 5 minutes, indicating that the yeast is effective.

To mix and knead the dough by hand, combine 3 cups of flour with the salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture and the oil. Using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the flour into the well, beginning in the center and working towards the sides of the bowl, until the flour is incorporated and the soft dough just begins to hold together.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Dust your hands with four and knead dough gently and thoroughly. While kneading, very gradually add just enough of the remaining ¼ cup flour until the dough is no longer sticky or tacky; this should take about 5 minutes. Add herbs, if desired. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Knead the dough only until it feels smooth and springy; too much kneading can result in a tough crust.

After mixing and kneading, shape dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, turning to coat completely on all sides with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in bulk (approx. 45 minutes for quick-rising yeast or 1 to 1 ½ hours for regular yeast).

Preheat oven to 500˚F about 1 hour before assembling pizza.

As soon as the dough has doubled in bulk, use your fist to punch it down to prevent overising (my favorite part!). Squeeze the dough into a ball, pressing out all the air bubbles. To prepare the dough for shaping, pull the top of the dough and tuck all seams under the bottom to create a ball with a smooth top. This will make a 15- to 16-inch pizza.

Shape the pizza with a rolling pin until it is about ¼ inch thick or by slow and careful stretching. (If stretching, you may want to knead the pizza again for a minute.) Work on a floured surface, and then transfer pizza to a vented pizza pan or pizza screen. Do this right before you are ready to put the ingredients on the pizza.

Food Fridays #6

These are positively the best cookies in the world. April loves them, I love them, people regularily approach me and say "When are you going to make Snickerdoodles again?" Even my dog likes them. (He once stole about seven of them off the table at a party. We weren't particularily pleased [read: furious], but he was bouncing off the walls for hours).

The key to these delectable cookies is to follow the directions (really) and actually take the cookies out of the oven after 8-10 minutes (depending on the size of the cookie). I used to always make the mistake of leaving the cookies in longer because I thought they weren't done, and so my Snickerdoodles were always brittle and hard. But one day I decided I would actually follow Betty Crocker's instructions and, lo and behold, they were glorious. So, the cookies will be gooey and exceptionally soft when you take them out the oven. Handle them with care when you take them off the baking sheet, and you'll have perfect cookies once they cool (with a slightly crispy rim and a soft center). Oh, and don't try to make a half recipe. It won't work, and it will make you very sad when your cookies are hard little mounds of dough.

This recipe is from an ancient version of the Betty Crocker cookbook (and is not in more recent versions); my mother's copy is literally in pieces and stained with sugar and vanilla flavoring. Also, be forewarned that these cookies are definitely not low-fat. Butter and shortening? Is that really necessary? But that's what makes them so gooood.


Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar and the eggs. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded teaspoons into balls.

Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon; roll balls in mixture. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from baking sheet.

About 6 dozen cookies.