Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Bruschetta simple, flavorful
Q. Could you please get the bruschetta recipe from Mario’s Osteria in Boca Raton? We really enjoy eating there and would like to make this and their Gorgonzola salad for Christmas Eve.
— Pat and Bob Singer, Boca Raton
A. Typically, weekly columns are submitted a few weeks ahead of publication. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to meet your Christmas menu deadline. But that wasn’t going to stop me from sharing one of Mario’s Osteria’s (1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561-239-7000, mariososteria.com) most popular appetizers. Especially since we still have access to beautiful winter tomatoes in South Florida.
According to general manager Sande Weinstein, Mario’s bruschetta appeals to many of his diners because “it’s simple, somewhat healthy and very flavorful.” Unlike many recipes that use sliced, toasted bread, Mario’s uses pizza dough. The thin crust adds to a lighter approach and the addition of gorgonzola cheese ramps up the flavor profile. To keep it simple for home cooks, buy fresh or frozen prepared pizza dough from your grocer or local Italian market. Mario’s also offers another version of their bruschetta topped with shrimp scampi and peas. Use this recipe as a base. Create your own combinations, varying the type of cheese or adding steak, chicken or veggies. Mario’s Bruschetta and a salad sounds like the perfect light meal for the new year.
If you’ve ever watched a skilled pizza chef stretch and toss dough into the perfectly thin crust, the thought of replicating the task at home can be intimidating. With a little practice, some patience and a few tips you can master the challenge. For home cooks, rolling the dough is perfectly acceptable. There are those who argue that flour, when used for rolling, will dry the crust. If used sparingly, you can achieve desired results. Others swear by keeping the rolling surface and hands well-oiled. See what works for you. For beginners, rolling the dough between two pieces of greased parchment or waxed paper can be helpful.
When protein in flour is combined with water it forms gluten. Rolling the crust stretches the gluten. If overworked, the dough becomes elastic and has a tendency to snap back. If this happens, allow the gluten to rest for 10-15 minutes before rolling the dough again.
A hot pizza stone helps create a pie with a crisp, crusty bottom. The heat causes the dough to rise while drawing out the moisture. If you don’t own a stone, opt for a rimless baking sheet oiled or lined with parchment paper.
Unlike today’s Bruschetta recipe, if you’re adding toppings, par-bake the crust about four minutes or until you are able to loosen the pie from the pan with a metal spatula. Slip the crust directly onto the oven rack and bake about four more minutes. Now you’re ready to slide the crust back onto the pan and add any toppings and finish baking.
Once the pizza is cooked, slide the pie off the pan onto a wire cooling rack so condensation doesn’t wreak havoc on your crisp crust.
Claire’s Tip of the Week:
Q. We just got off the Harmony of the Seas. Every morning we had one of their bran muffins in the Windjammer. Is it possible to get the recipe for these tasty muffins?
Creek — Irene Feldman, Coconut
A. Harmony of the Seas is part of the Royal Caribbean Cruise line, (royal caribbean.com). The Windjammer Marketplace is one of the ship’s 14 dining options. I didn’t have much luck taking the corporate route so I did some online research. Here’s what I found out, Irene. According to web chatter, years ago, a waiter gave the recipe to a passenger. Turns out the muffins are made using a Komplet mix as the base, a commercial baking product from Abel & Schafer. Founded in Germany in 1892 as a flour mill, Abel & Schafer, based in Ronkonkoma, N.Y. (us.komplet.com, 800-443-1260), was the first company to bring ready mixes for bakeries to market under the trade name “Komplet.” The muffin mix is available online in 50-pound bags. Unless you plan on making massive amounts of muffins this year, try substituting other brands available at grocery stores in smaller quantities such as Bob’s Red Mill, Krusteaz or Hodgson Mill bran muffin mixes.