What I did during Hurricane Sandy

Let me just say here and now that the hurricane was pretty fantastic in scope and destruction. New York City is still partially under water (subways) but the buses are now running again, and the bridges are now open, but they're saying that some people will be without power until at least Saturday; that's rough. I did see a bus on Riverside Drive yesterday afternoon so I know there is some mobile activity being conducted by the MTA.

In any event, it was an event. I stayed indoors and ventured out on Monday around 4:00 to walk the dog. We didn't venture out again until this morning. Last night, during all the fuss outside, I made a starter for Ciabatta (which I baked today) and I also made my second Torta di Ricotta with Almonds and Candied Orange Peel.  Here are the finished products.

Ciabatta

Torta di Ricotta

I've been promising for some time now to write about ricotta cheese and since I've already written about making ricotta, I thought it only right to make something with freshly made ricotta cheese. There are several steps involved with making this torte and it requires a fair amount of patience and skill, so let's begin.

Torta di Ricotta

It's important to have all the required ingredients at hand before you start mixing the torta.

One 10" spring form cake pan with removable bottom, buttered

Preheat oven to 350ºF

12-14 servings

Candied Orange Peal

1 Navel Orange (pealed, and pith removed)
   Peal should  then be cut into thin julienne strips. The fruit should be blended in a blender or
   food processor and reserved for later use in this recipe.

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tbs. Water

Heat sugar and water together in a small saucepan. Stir until it starts to crystallize, stop stirring immediately and wait for the sugar and water to boil. It will look like white molten lava. As the bubbles subside, the caramel will become clear and form many bubbles. At this point, add the orange peel. Continue to boil until the sugar turns the color of amber. Immediately remove from the heat. Let rest for a few moments to stop boiling. The orange peel will be extremely sticky. Remove each peel with a tong or a fork and place on a rack which has been placed on top of a piece of parchment or wax paper. Continue until all the peel is removed. Let the orange peel cool completely and set aside.

Caramel

Add to the caramel sauce 

4 Tbs. Sweet Butter

4 Tbs. Heavy Cream and stir until completely incorporated and takes on the consistency of butterscotch

Dot with little pebbles of butter and set aside in a warm place. (The back of the stove works here)

1 Cup Almonds finely ground

Take all of the orange peel and place in a food processor. Mix until thoroughly blended into a coarse paste.

Torta

Cream 1 stick of butter in a stand mixer and add

1 Cup of Sugar

1 Tsp. Vanilla

Mix thoroughly until the mixture turns pale yellow

6 Eggs separated

Add the egg yolks to the cake base one egg yolk at a time

to this add

the almond paste

the orange peel

but mix with a spatula or wooden spoon

2 Cups Fresh Ricotta Cheese 

3 tbls. Creme Fraiche

Caramel Sauce

Pulp and Juice from the Navel Orange

In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients by hand with a whisk until blended and add to the torta batter.

6 Egg Whites

1/2 Tsp. Cream of Tartar

Pinch of Salt

3 Tbs. Sugar

In another bowl, beat the 6 egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the cream of tartar, salt and sugar and mix until the egg whites take on a brilliant sheen and form stiff peaks. After completely incorporated, fold some of the egg white mixture into the cake batter until fully incorporated and then fold in the rest of the egg whites into the batter. Mix only until blended but do not fold too much otherwise the texture of the ricotta will be altered.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and place on the middle rack of the oven. Depending on your oven, bake for 50 minutes. Keep an eye on it after 45 minutes to be sure. If you jiggle the pan and the center shakes a lot, it's not done. The Torta will be completely baked when the torte has shrunk from the sides of the pan and a cake tester or a thin knife comes out clean after piercing the torta.  (I have left it in longer if it hasn't passed the cake test.)

Torta di Ricotta

Let the Torta cool in the pan and then remove cake to let completely cool on a plate. At this point you can refrigerate it or if serving immediately, dust the top of the torta with powdered sugar and serve.

I have found that the Torta is better after being refrigerated, but that is my own personal taste.

Buon appetito!

And now for something completely different:

Jonathan Waxman's Ciabatta

As you have already read, I have read and still do read a great many cookbooks in addition to the many I already have. I've often been a victim of cookbook wanderlust and have culled the stacks at a library or two (in one day) and checked some of them out to peruse on the bus, the subway, before I go to bed,  you name it.  I want to confess here and now that the only reason I am putting this recipe on my blog (besides the fact that I posted a photograph of it above) is because, besides my grandmother's sfincuini (Sicilian pizza), this is the first bread recipe that I have baked that turned out exactly as it should have. I did precisely what my grandmother would have done: followed the recipe to the letter, so here goes. One last thing: the recipe can be found in Italian My Way by Jonathan Waxman on page 38. 

6 Cups Strong Organic Bread Flour

1 Package Active Dry Yeast

2 Tbs. Whole Milk

1 Tbs. Honey

2 Tbs. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

2 1/4 Cups Warm Water

1 Tbs. Sea Salt

Mix 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, milk honey and olive oil in a large bowl. Stir together with a wooden spoon then beat until fully incorporated. Cover and let sit at rom temperatue for several hours, then refrigerate overnight.

Add the remaining flour and the sea salt and mix well (I used a stand mixer with the dough hook). Dump the dough onto a floured work surgave, dust with flour and knead for 10 minutes. Clean the bowl and coast with olive oil. Return the dough to the bowl and let rise for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425º

Cut the dough in half and form a slipper 12 inches long and 5 inches wide and about 3 inches tall. Roll the ciabatta in flour and place on a making sheet. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Let the loaves rise for 30 minutes.

Put the ciabata in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. If they brown too much, lower the temperature and continue baking.

When the ciabatta is done, remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. (see photo)

We ate hot bread with olive oil for an hour during the hurricane while Poirot solved a triple murder!