Tuesday, April 13, 2010
NO-KNEAD, REFRIGERATED, SORT-OF-POT-BAKED CIABATTA BUNS
I wanted to make some nice-looking crusty buns for a particular sandwich recipe I am developing, and I thought it would be great to use a no-knead recipe. Ciabatta, a chewy Italian bread, is made with a very wet dough, anyway, so it seemed perfectly suited to the no-knead method It turned out to be an interesting experiment!
I went to master bakers Jim Lahey
and Peter Reinhart
-- who better? I saw a video of them making ciabatta bread together. (Update: It is no longer available in 2020, unfortunately!) The recipe they used is located here. It's what I used, too, except that I don't have instant yeast, so I used 1/2 tsp. dry active baking yeast instead. I also doubled the recipe.I made the dough as directed:
I let the dough rise at room temperature for 18 hours, and then I refrigerated it in a bowl with a snap lid.
TAKE ONE:
I didn't get around to making the first batch of rolls until 2 or 3 days later, and I decided to just make 8 large buns to take to a friend's for lunch, to go with her soup. I scooped half of the dough out onto floured baking parchment and patted it into a rectangle:
The dough was pretty easy to handle. Then I cut it with a bench scraper
/dough cutter
into 8 more-or-less even peices. (Ciabatta doesn't have to look perfect!) and rose them at room temperature for 2 hours. Here they are before baking:
I wanted to use Jim Lahey's pot method of baking, to create a mini-brick-oven, as I do with my no-knead bread, but I thought it might be awkward with pots (although I will try it sometime, with several pots at once!). I don't have a large baking stone, and I was in kind of hurry as I prepared to bake them, so I didn't really think through the method I was going to use. I decided just to rise them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and to heat up my big ol' battered rectangular roasting pan (see the photo further on down) in the oven as it heated up to 475 degrees F, and use that as a "dome lid" over the sheet. Then at least part of it would be preheated!
This actually worked quite well. I baked them under the "dome" for 15 or 20 minutes (I forget the exact time now, and I lost my notes!), and then removed the "dome lid" and baked them uncovered for another 5 minutes or so, until they were golden brown. I didn't get a chance to take very detailed pictures, because DH was rushing me out the door and then everyone wanted to gobble them up, but here's the first batch before we ate them all:
We thought they were great and, as I said, they got gobbled up in no time!
TAKE TWO:
I intended to make the second batch a few days later, but this has been a crazy couple of weeks, so I forgot about it pretty much for a week and a half (it was tucked away at the bottom of the fridge behind some veggies!)
So, yesterday I wanted to make tofu burgers (the juicy marinated frozen tofu ones from my first book, The Almost No-Fat Cookbook)
, so I took the dough out in the morning. It was kind of strange looking-- large bubbles all over the top, which was a little dry, but usable, I thought.
When I scooped the dough out onto a piece of well-floured baking parchment on my counter, I could see that the bottom of the dough was pretty runny and I wondered how I was going to handle this, and even wondered if it would work at all! I had read about folding no-knead dough for a wider crumb, but never bothered to try it before, so I used this method before cutting the dough in an attempt to make the very wet dough more manageable for cutting into buns. Here's a video that shows the technique:
The folding DID work to make the dough more manageable (with plenty of flour sprinkled here and there), and I am going to try using this method during the rising process next time. I moved the dough to the dining room table, where the light was better, to cut the dough into buns (12 smaller ones this time). The dough was "floppier" than the first batch.
This time I decided to raise the buns for their 2 hours on an upside-down cookie sheet, on cornmeal-dusted baking parchment, and I heated up my battered roasting pan "dome lid" and another heavy baking sheet in the oven.
I whisked the hot cookie sheet with the buns into the oven, covered with the heated upside down roasting pan lid"dome", and left he buns alone to bake for 15 minutes. Here they are after that time, when I took the lid off:
Despite my fears they rose nicely! I baked them uncovered for another 10 minutes, then turned the oven off, cracked open the oven door and let them sit in there for 5 more minutes.
They smelled like sourdough bread, the crust was golden and crackly, the crumb had wide holes. They were a bit on the chewy side for the delicate tofu burgers, but very good!
So you really can leave no-knead dough in the refrigerator for 2 weeks! (You probably would not need the 18 hour first rise, though-- I think you could cut that down considerably if you intended to keep it refrigerated for at least a few days.) A nice combination of no-knead, refrigerator-rise, and pot-baked methods!
The results:
Enjoy!
The dough was pretty easy to handle. Then I cut it with a bench scraper
/dough cutter into 8 more-or-less even peices. (Ciabatta doesn't have to look perfect!) and rose them at room temperature for 2 hours. Here they are before baking:
I wanted to use Jim Lahey's pot method of baking, to create a mini-brick-oven, as I do with my no-knead bread, but I thought it might be awkward with pots (although I will try it sometime, with several pots at once!). I don't have a large baking stone, and I was in kind of hurry as I prepared to bake them, so I didn't really think through the method I was going to use. I decided just to rise them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and to heat up my big ol' battered rectangular roasting pan (see the photo further on down) in the oven as it heated up to 475 degrees F, and use that as a "dome lid" over the sheet. Then at least part of it would be preheated!
This actually worked quite well. I baked them under the "dome" for 15 or 20 minutes (I forget the exact time now, and I lost my notes!), and then removed the "dome lid" and baked them uncovered for another 5 minutes or so, until they were golden brown. I didn't get a chance to take very detailed pictures, because DH was rushing me out the door and then everyone wanted to gobble them up, but here's the first batch before we ate them all:
We thought they were great and, as I said, they got gobbled up in no time!
TAKE TWO:
I intended to make the second batch a few days later, but this has been a crazy couple of weeks, so I forgot about it pretty much for a week and a half (it was tucked away at the bottom of the fridge behind some veggies!)
So, yesterday I wanted to make tofu burgers (the juicy marinated frozen tofu ones from my first book, The Almost No-Fat Cookbook)
, so I took the dough out in the morning. It was kind of strange looking-- large bubbles all over the top, which was a little dry, but usable, I thought.When I scooped the dough out onto a piece of well-floured baking parchment on my counter, I could see that the bottom of the dough was pretty runny and I wondered how I was going to handle this, and even wondered if it would work at all! I had read about folding no-knead dough for a wider crumb, but never bothered to try it before, so I used this method before cutting the dough in an attempt to make the very wet dough more manageable for cutting into buns. Here's a video that shows the technique:
The folding DID work to make the dough more manageable (with plenty of flour sprinkled here and there), and I am going to try using this method during the rising process next time. I moved the dough to the dining room table, where the light was better, to cut the dough into buns (12 smaller ones this time). The dough was "floppier" than the first batch.
 |
| I sprinkled the buns well with flour before rising, and again before baking. |
 |
| My disreputable-looking roasting pan "dome lid" in the background |
Then I placed the cookie sheets end-to-end and slid the parchment with the buns over onto the upside-down heated sheet:
I whisked the hot cookie sheet with the buns into the oven, covered with the heated upside down roasting pan lid"dome", and left he buns alone to bake for 15 minutes. Here they are after that time, when I took the lid off:
Despite my fears they rose nicely! I baked them uncovered for another 10 minutes, then turned the oven off, cracked open the oven door and let them sit in there for 5 more minutes.
They smelled like sourdough bread, the crust was golden and crackly, the crumb had wide holes. They were a bit on the chewy side for the delicate tofu burgers, but very good!
So you really can leave no-knead dough in the refrigerator for 2 weeks! (You probably would not need the 18 hour first rise, though-- I think you could cut that down considerably if you intended to keep it refrigerated for at least a few days.) A nice combination of no-knead, refrigerator-rise, and pot-baked methods!
The results:
Enjoy!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
CAMILLA'S NO-BAKE VEGAN OATMEAL ENERGY BARS WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES, ALMONDS AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS
I had to make a healthy "goodie" for my granddaughter's school lunch last night, and I remembered a recipe I had seen on the blog of Camilla V. Saulsbury, whose delightful book "Enlightened Chocolate
", I reviewed last month. I recalled that it could be easily veganized and I had most of the ingredients.It was easy and quick to make, and full of healthful ingredients. I made them with tahini because they don't allow peanut butter in her school. It was a big hit with my grandaughter, AND her grandfather, and me, too, as well as a vegan friend (adult) who stopped by. This is definitely a keeper!
Printable Recipe
CAMILLA'S NO-BAKE VEGAN OATMEAL ENERGY BARS WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES, ALMONDS, AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS
Makes 16 bars
This is Camilla Saulsbury's recipe, with my slight adjustments. View the original recipe here:
http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com/2008/02/continuing-from-yesterdays-post-i-offer.html
You can make many variations, with different syrups, nut or seed butters, nuts, seeds or coconut, dried fruits, even different rolled cereals, such as rolled barley. I didn't have any commercial toasted wheat germ, so I toasted it on a plate in the microwave for 2 minutes at 1/2 power.
2 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
, uncooked
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup dried soymilk powder (This was instead of dried milk powder--I used Better Than Milk
Soy Beverage Mix, and they have a rice milk powder, too.)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
(instead of dried cherries
)
1/2 cup lightly salted roasted slivered almonds
1 cup tahini
(instead of peanut butter or nut butter)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
(I used the above combination of syrups instead of honey and I used less molasses.)
1 1/2 tablespoons dark molasses
(not blackstrap)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
, uncooked1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup dried soymilk powder (This was instead of dried milk powder--I used Better Than Milk
Soy Beverage Mix, and they have a rice milk powder, too.)1/2 cup dried cranberries
(instead of dried cherries)1/2 cup lightly salted roasted slivered almonds
1 cup tahini
(instead of peanut butter or nut butter)1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
(I used the above combination of syrups instead of honey and I used less molasses.)
1 1/2 tablespoons dark molasses
(not blackstrap)1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
OPTIONAL ADDITION: 1/2 cup organic, fair trade, dairy-free chocolate chips
Line a 9x9-inch square metal baking pan
with foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl mix the oatmeal, wheat germ, milk powder, dried fruit and nuts; set aside.
Place the tahini, syrups and molasses in a heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly, melted and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mix in the cereal mixture (mix until well blended and all of the oat mixture is coated). When the mixture is partially blended, add the chocolate chips (so they don't melt too much.)
Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a large square of wax paper or foil, very firmly press mixture down into pan to compact. (I used baking parchment
and pressed it down with the bottom of another 9" square pan.)
Cool completely. Remove bars using foil overhang and then cut into 16 bars or squares.
Tightly wrap each bar in plastic wrap. Store the wrapped bars in a plastic zip-top bag in the refrigerator.
Nutrition per Serving (1 bar):
Calories 234; Fat 9.1g (sat 1.3g, mono 4.6g, poly 2.9g); Protein 8.4g; Cholesterol 0.4mg; Carbohydrate 34.8g; Sodium 93.2mg.
Thanks for the great recipe, Camilla!
Line a 9x9-inch square metal baking pan
with foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray.In a medium bowl mix the oatmeal, wheat germ, milk powder, dried fruit and nuts; set aside.
Place the tahini, syrups and molasses in a heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly, melted and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mix in the cereal mixture (mix until well blended and all of the oat mixture is coated). When the mixture is partially blended, add the chocolate chips (so they don't melt too much.)
Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a large square of wax paper or foil, very firmly press mixture down into pan to compact. (I used baking parchment
and pressed it down with the bottom of another 9" square pan.)Cool completely. Remove bars using foil overhang and then cut into 16 bars or squares.
Tightly wrap each bar in plastic wrap. Store the wrapped bars in a plastic zip-top bag in the refrigerator.
Nutrition per Serving (1 bar):
Calories 234; Fat 9.1g (sat 1.3g, mono 4.6g, poly 2.9g); Protein 8.4g; Cholesterol 0.4mg; Carbohydrate 34.8g; Sodium 93.2mg.
Thanks for the great recipe, Camilla!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
PASTIERA NAPOLITANA VEGAN (NEAPOLITAN EASTER GRAIN & "RICOTTA" PIE)
A reader wrote to me a couple of weeks ago: "Do you have any vegan recipes for the Italian wheat and rice pies that are served on Easter morning along with the frittata that my Grandma used to make? Thank you, Adrienne"
Of course, there is a vegan fritatta recipe in my book Nonna's Italian Kitchen
. But, though I had heard about it, I had never eaten this pie. However, I do have a recipe for a vegan "ricotta pie" in that book, and I knew that this Easter pie contained ricotta, so I figured that I could work on it with that recipe as a start. (BTW, I don't always create recipes on request! I am happy for suggestions for recipe "makeovers", if you will, but whether I try it or not depends on a number of factors: does the recipe appeal to us? are the ingredients available to me?are the any of the ingredients outrageously expensive and will I ever use them again?; Do I have the time? Does this dish fit our dietary likes and dislikes, etc..)I did some research on the pie, and then decided to try the formula I came up with on some friends who were coming for dinner for St. Patrick's Day. I thought it turned out rather well-- impressive looking,and we all loved it-- but, since I had never actually eaten the "real thing", I had nothing to compare it to. So, I asked Adrienne to try it ahead of time, for her sake and mine (maybe just half the recipe, which she did) and give me an honest assessment. Her verdict? “Out of this world great.”
This pie is traditional in Southern Italy. Adrienne's mother's parents came from two different parts of Italy, Calabria and Puglia, but their foods were nearly identical, she told me.
I made the pie with rice, but it is also sometimes made with pearl barley or even the small pasta called orzo
instead of rice. If you use orzo, you can cook it the same way as the rice, using 2 1/2 cups of nondairy milk instead of 2. If you use pearl barley
, soak the the grain in cold water to cover for 24 hours, then drain and cook in the milk as for the rice.This pie is also sometimes made with wheat kernel
s, which I suspect was the original version, since wheat and wheat breads are still powerful symbols of spring rebirth in Italy, harkening back to ancient times. (I see no reason why it could not be made with spelt
or kamut
kernels or brown rice
instead, but I have to try this out before giving you the directions.) The whole grain for this pie is usually soaked for 3 days, changing the water each day, and then drained well and cooked in milk, but I can't say for how long or in how much milk until I try it.It's a spectacular looking pie, and will feed alot of people! I think it would be great served with fresh strawberries.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S PASTIERA NAPOLITANA VEGAN (Vegan Neapolitan Easter Grain and "Ricotta" Pie-- includes soy-free version)
Servings: 16/ Yield: 1/ 10 x 2 1/2" pie OR 2 shallow 9-10" pies
You can cut this recipe in half for a smaller gathering.
For a gluten-free pie, use rice as in the recipe and use a gluten-free flour mix.
The seasoning, of course, is a matter of taste. You may like more cinnamon, less orange rind, etc. -- it's up to you.
PASTRY (Vegan, lower-fat "Pasta Frolla"):
(you can use your own favorite Pasta Frolla recipe, if you prefer)
Dry Mixture:
1 1/3 cups white cake or pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
(or, instead, you can use 1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
and 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour
)
1/2 to 3/4 cup organic unbleached granulated sugar
, depending on your taste
1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
Wet Mixture:
9 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) soy or almond milk
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
9 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract OR 1 tablespoon finely-grated organic lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FILLING:
Rice:
2 cups vegan creamer
For a gluten-free pie, use rice as in the recipe and use a gluten-free flour mix.
The seasoning, of course, is a matter of taste. You may like more cinnamon, less orange rind, etc. -- it's up to you.
PASTRY (Vegan, lower-fat "Pasta Frolla"):
(you can use your own favorite Pasta Frolla recipe, if you prefer)
Dry Mixture:
1 1/3 cups white cake or pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
(or, instead, you can use 1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
and 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour)1/2 to 3/4 cup organic unbleached granulated sugar
, depending on your taste1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
Wet Mixture:
9 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) soy or almond milk
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
9 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract OR 1 tablespoon finely-grated organic lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FILLING:
Rice:
2 cups vegan creamer
(OR you could use a total of 1 13/4 cups full-fat soy milk or almond milk with 1/4 cup of silken tofu blended in until smooth)
1 1/4 cups medium grain (or Arborio
) white rice (risotto rice)
2 tablespoons organic unbleached granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
"Ricotta" Mixture: (See below for soy-free version)
2 lbs medium-firm tofu, drained and crumbled, plus
12 oz. firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 to 2 cups organic unbleached granulated sugar
(depending on how sweet you like it)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons orange flower water (optional, but traditional)
2 tablespoons finely-grated organic orange zest
2 tablespoons finely-grated organic lemon zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon dry to medium sherry or Marsala
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon agar powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on your taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
) white rice (risotto rice)2 tablespoons organic unbleached granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
"Ricotta" Mixture: (See below for soy-free version)
2 lbs medium-firm tofu, drained and crumbled, plus
12 oz. firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 to 2 cups organic unbleached granulated sugar
(depending on how sweet you like it)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons orange flower water (optional, but traditional)
2 tablespoons finely-grated organic orange zest
2 tablespoons finely-grated organic lemon zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon dry to medium sherry or Marsala
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon agar powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on your taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Addition (but traditional):
1/3 cup candied orange peel,
finely chopped
(If you can't find this-- and it is NOT the same thing as "candied citron"!!-- you will find an easy recipe to make your own here. You can make it up to 2 weeks ahead of time.)
soy or nut milk for brushing the pastry
INSTRUCTIONS:
1/3 cup candied orange peel,
finely chopped(If you can't find this-- and it is NOT the same thing as "candied citron"!!-- you will find an easy recipe to make your own here. You can make it up to 2 weeks ahead of time.)
soy or nut milk for brushing the pastry
INSTRUCTIONS:
To make the pastry:
Mix the Dry Mixture ingredients in a medium bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the soy or almond milk with the lemon juice, and then whisk in the oil and flavorings until the mixture is emulsified. Quickly stir this Wet Mixture into the dry ingredients and mix briefly, forming the pastry into a ball. If it's too dry, add cold water just a few drops at a time until it holds together. Don't over mix or the pastry will be tough.
If you are make one large pie make a ball with 2/3's of the dough and another ball with the last 3rd. If you are making 2 smaller pies, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll into balls. Place in plastic bags and refrigerate until ready to roll out.
To cook the Rice for the Filling:
Bring the creamer to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Stir in the rice, sugar, vanilla and salt, turn down the heat to Low, cover tightly and cook for 35 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Scoop the rice out into a shallow bowl to cool. If the rice looks very dry, stir in a few tablespoons of non-dairy milk, but don't make it runny.
To make the Filling:
Place ALL of the "Ricotta" Mixture ingredients (except the optional candied orange peel) into a large blender, Vita-Mix or food processor and blend until very smooth. Scoop the smooth mixture into a mixing bowl.
Add the cooled, cooked rice mixture and the optional candied peel, if using, and fold and stir until evenly distributed. Set aside.
To prepare the pie(s) for baking:
Heat the oven to 350° F for the large pie or 375° F for the smaller pies.
If you are making a large pie, oil the inside of a round 10 x 21/2" springform pan
. If you are making two smaller pies, oil two ordinary 9 or 10" pie pans
. (For the smaller pies, since they are served right in the pie pan, Pyrex or ceramic pie plates would be preferred over metal pans for a more elegant look.)If using the springform pan,
roll the largest ball of dough out on a piece of baking parchment (you shouldn't need any flour to roll this out on parchment) to make a circle 15" across (diameter). Carefully and loosely roll this around the rolling pan and gently unroll over the top of the prepared springform pan.
Gently ease the pastry down into the pan and secure it in place by pinching the excess dough to the top edges of the pan. Make sure that any cracks or tears are smoothed out and covered (use extra bits of dough, if necessary), and that the dough fits neatly into the pan.
If using 2 smaller pie pans,
roll two of the equal-sized balls to fit 9 or 10" pie dishes (with enough dough to overlap the rims of the pie dishes) and ease them into the dishes, gently fitting them into the pans and smoothing out any cracks. (There will be scraps of dough left over to fill out the rim of the crust, make patches, etc.).
To fill and decorate the pie(s):
Scoop the filling into the pie crust(s) (1 large or 2 smaller) and smooth the top(s). It should come up just about to the top of the pan(s).
Roll out the remaining dough as if you were making a top crist for the springform pan or two top crusts for the pie dishes. Cut the rolled-out dough into 1/2"-wide strips, using a pizza cutter (or a ravioli cutter for a scalloped edge).
Make a latticed topping with the strips, following the picture instructions here
or the video instructions here .
(If you are in a hurry like I was when I was making this, just criss-cross the strips instead of latticing them!)
Press the ends of the strips into the dough at the rim of the pans to make sure they adhere.
With the large springform pan, cut the edge of the dough off carefully with a sharp knife on the OUTSIDE of the rim of the pan so that the dough sticks to the slim outer edge of the pan.
With the smaller pie pans, flute the edge of the crust as you ordinarily would, making it look pretty, then cut the rough edges off the outer edge of the pie with a sharp knife.
Gently brush the lattice with soy or nut milk, using a fine pastry brush. If you like, use scraps of dough to make leaf or flower shapes to decorate the top of the lattice pastry.
Bake the large pie for 1 1/2 hours at 350° F.
Bake the smaller pies for 45 minutes at 375° F. Either way, a toothpick or bamboo skewer should come out clean when inserted in the middle of the pie.
Cool the pie(s) thoroughly on racks (takes several hours), then refrigerate until serving time. Decorate the pies with flowers for serving, of you like. I think some fresh fruit, such as strawberries, makes a good accompaniment.
Nutrition Facts (calculated using soymilk and the lesser amount of sugar in both pie filling and crust)
Nutrition (per serving): 280.8 calories; 18% calories from fat; 6.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 130.0mg sodium; 190.4mg potassium; 46.8g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 22.2g sugar; 45.7g net carbs; 10.0g protein; 5.9 points.
SOY-FREE FILLING:
Use this recipe instead of the tofu, lemon juice and oil in the "Ricotta" Mixture in the Filling recipe and mix in the remaining Filling ingredients.
BRYANNA'S ALMOND “RICOTTA”, LARGER RECIPE (wheat-free and soy-free)
Makes about 7 1/2 cups
From my book "Nonna's Italian Kitchen"
This is a tasty vegan "ricotta"-- the almond milk has a clean, mild taste. The inspiration for this recipe was the "Incredible Almond Creme Cheeze" in Vegan Vittles by Joanne Stepaniak.
2 cups hot water
1 1/2 c. whole blanched almonds
3 cups cold water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup cornstarch (if you’re allergic to corn, you can use wheat starch, or use 6 T. white rice flour)
3 T. oil
1 T. maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Place the hot water and almonds in the blender and blend until a very smooth "cream" results-- be patient. It cannot be grainy. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend again well.
Pour the mixture into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir constantly over medium-high heat until it thickens and comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and cook 1 minute more, stirring.
MICROWAVE OPTION: Pour the mixture into a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 4 minutes on HIGH. Whisk. Microwave 3-4 minutes more, or until thickened.
Scrape the mixture into a container and let it come to room temperature. Beat it with a whisk or electric mixer. Cover and chill. When it is chilled and firm, mash and stir it with a fork, until it has some texture. Refrigerate.
Happy Easter/Buona Pasqua!
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