The expression “you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet” comes to mind these days when you peek in at the studio. It is a mess! I’ve been making up some dreamy little hair accessories, and along with the wool and cashmere bits of lusciousness are spools of tule and organza, beads, buttons, needles and thread. The great music on our local 91.7 is the soundscape, with the back ground hum of the sewing and felting machines. Making a mess is such fun. While I am busy in the studio, my industrious flock of six hens are busy making their own little ovoid creations. At the end of the day I gather up their work and the half dozen eggs from the day before turns into a dozen. Fortunately, we love cooking our eggs; and friends, family and neighbors never turn down a fresh 6 pack from our little urban homestead. The other day Shannon to a 6 pack to Pam, his friend and hairdresser. She shared these recipes with us, and I am passing them along to you:
We love this -even for dinner.
Pam
Shakshouka
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Recipe By: Simply Recipes
Ingredients:
3 poblano, anaheim, or sweet red or yellow peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion diced
1 quart crushed tomatoes
splash of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground corriander
big pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
4 tablespoons creamy goat cheese
fresh parsley for garnish
Directions:
1. Roast the peppers over an open flame until the skin is blackened all over. Remove them from heat and close them in a paper bag so they can steam for 10 minutes. Take them out of the bag and pull off the skin under cold running water. Remove the stem and seeds and dice.
2. In a deep 9” inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for 5 minutes and then add the peppers and saute for another 3. Add the spices, salt and pepper, and cook for another minute. Then pour in the tomatoes and the red wine vinegar. Let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes until it has thickened a bit. Check the salt and acid levels.
3. To add the eggs, crack each one into a small, shallow bowl and slide them into the tomato sauce one at a time. Cover the shakshuka and cook the eggs until the whites are set, 6 minutes. After 3 minutes, add the goat cheese in several dollops, and re-cover the skillet. Spoon the shakshouka into bowls over big slices of toasted bread, and garnish with chopped parsley and a turn of pepper.
I buy frozen pizza dough balls at Sam’s in the food court stand for next to nothing. Thaw, and roll.
Pam
Breakfast Pizza
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Recipe By: Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons bread flour, plus more for dusting
Kosher salt
6 strips bacon
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups grated mozzarella
6 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
Directions:
1. The night before, prepare the dough: Place 3/4 cup lukewarm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle in the yeast, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix on low for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, then increase the speed to high and mix until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes more. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into two equal pieces and form each half into a tight ball. Place on a large floured sheet pan, place the pan in a plastic garbage bag, tie the bag loosely and refrigerate overnight.
2. One to two hours* before baking, place the dough in a warm spot. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and set a pizza stone on it. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the pizza.
3. Prepare the dough and toppings: Fry the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Cool on a paper-towel-lined plate; roughly chop.
4. Dip your hands and a ball of dough into the flour. On a lightly floured countertop, pat the dough into a disc with your fingertips, then drape the dough over your fists and carefully stretch it from beneath to form a 12-inch circle.
5. Generously dust the surface of a pizza peel or large inverted sheet pan with flour and place the stretched dough on it. Sprinkle the dough with half of the Parmesan, mozzarella and bacon. Crack 3 eggs over the top and season with salt and pepper.
6. Bake the pizza: Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully lift any sections that are sticking and sprinkle a bit more flour underneath, then slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick forward-and-back motion. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted and the egg yolks are cooked, use the peel to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle half of the parsley, chives, scallions and shallot on top. Let cool for 2 minutes, slice and serve immediately. Prepare the second pizza in the same way.
7. * The original recipe suggests that you take the dough out one hour before baking but I took mine out two hours earlier, because I always find it takes a looong time to get dough back to proofing at room temperature. In this time, you can lazily prepare the toppings and get your oven nice and hot.
ENJOY!!!