Blini with Sour Cream and Caviar
Absolutely delicious!
1/4 cup warm water (105–115 degrees F)
1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (1 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1/2 cup sifted buckwheat flour (sift before measuring)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk, heated to warm (105–115°F)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Accompaniments: sour cream (or crème fraiche), and caviar
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• If mixture doesn’t foam, discard and start over with new yeast.
• Add all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, and salt, then stir in milk, 3 tablespoons butter, and eggs.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in a roasting pan filled with 1 inch of warm water. Let rise in a warm place until dough is increased in volume, has bubbles breaking the surface, and is stringy when scooped, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Stir batter before using.
• Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot and brush with some of remaining melted butter if butter browns immediately, lower heat.
• Working in batches of 4, spoon 1 tablespoon batter into skillet for each blini, then cook, turning over once, until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer to an ovenproof platter and keep blini warm in oven.
Serve blini topped with sour cream and caviar.
Cook’s note:
• Batter can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, cover after letting it rise in a warm place.
• If necessary, thin batter with a few teaspoons of milk before using.
Yield: 36 hors d’oeuvres.
Boboli Type Pizza Crust Recipe
Ingredients:
* 1 cup water
* 3 cups all purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 2 teaspoons Red Star active dry yeast
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 teaspoons parmesan cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* parmesan cheese to sprinkle
Directions:
Add all ingredients (except) second parmesan cheese to breadmaker in order listed by your manufacturer. It is a good idea to put the garlic down inside the flour so it does not slow the yeast. Set breadmaker on dough setting. When complete, form two crusts on pizza pans, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, cover and let rise again. Bake 5-10 minutes at about 450 F until light brown. Cool. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze until you get the pizza urge. Great to have around for easy last minute dinners. Good way for kids to make pizza too.