Fresh Tomato-Phyllo Pizza

There is nothing like a home-grown tomato. In the fall, just as school gets started, we look forward to fresh off the vine tomatoes from our patio garden (and generous friends).  We eat them like candy.  We also make this phyllo pizza several times during the season.  It was the very first recipe from the very first show I ever saw on Food Network - Sara Moulton’s Cooking Live from back in 1996.  It has been a favorite of ours ever since.  And if you are REAL adventurous, try substituting 3/4 cup fresh goats cheese, (chevre) for the mozzarella.

6 Tbsp -  Unsalted butter melted, kept warm
7 sheets - Phyllo dough (17" by 12") 
8 Tbsp - Freshly-grated Parmesan 
¼  lb -  Mozzarella coarsely grated
1 cup - thinly sliced onion 
5 or 6 - tomatoes (cut ¼” slices) 
1  tsp - fresh (or ½  tsp  dry) herbs (thyme, oregano, or basil) in any combination
Salt & pepper to taste

Stack the phyllo between sheets of wax paper and cover with a dampened kitchen towel. Brush a baking sheet lightly with some of the butter, lay on one sheet of the phyllo and brush it lightly with some of the butter. Sprinkle the phyllo with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan, lay another sheet of the phyllo on top, and press it firmly so that it adheres to the bottom layer. Butter, sprinkle, and layer the remaining phyllo and Parmesan reserving 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Sprinkle the top sheet of phyllo with the mozzarella, scatter the onion evenly on top, and arrange the tomatoes in one layer over the onion. Sprinkle the pizza with the reserved 1 tablespoon Parmesan, the herbs, and salt and pepper to taste and bake it in the middle of a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife cut the pizza into squares.

Gingerbread Men

At Christmas time my house smells of gingerbread.  For weeks we are either making, cutting, baking or building with gingerbread.  We make two kinds:  one dense, sturdy dough for making houses and another softer variety with just the right blend of sweet and spice, for eating and sharing.  We've made these every year for the annual Cookie Walk at church and every year they ask for more.  Some say its the best they've ever eaten.  This recipe comes from the pages of Gourmet magazine and the Food Network.

- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-  1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar icing, optional, recipe follows

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer cream the butter, add the sugar, and beat the mixture until fluffy. Beat in the egg, the molasses, and the vinegar.
Into another bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and stir the mixture into the butter mixture, a little at a time. The dough will be soft. Divide the dough into fourths, dust it with flour, and wrap each piece in waxed paper. Flatten the dough slightly and chill it for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll out the dough, 1 piece at a time, 1/4-inch thick on a floured surface and cut out cookies with a 4-inch gingerbread man cutter dipped in flour. Transfer the cookies with a spatula to buttered baking sheets, arranging them 2-inches apart, and bake them in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until no imprint remains when they are touched lightly with the fingertip. Transfer the cookies with the spatula to racks and let them cool. Make cookies with the dough scraps in the same manner. If desired, pipe the sugar icing decoratively on the cookie using a pastry bag fitted with a small decorative tip. Let the cookies stand for 20 minutes, or until the icing is set.

Sugar Icing:
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 pinch cream of tartar
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- Food coloring, optional

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, a pinch of salt, and 2 teaspoons water until the mixture is frothy, beat in the sugar, a little at a time, and beat the mixture until it holds stiff peaks. Beat in the food coloring, if desired.

Decorate baked cookies with the icing using a spatula or a pastry bag fitted with s small decorative tip and let the cookies stand for 20 minutes, or until the icing is set.

Yield: enough icing for about 50 (4-inch) cookies

Chocolate Taffy by Alton Brown (from Food Nework's "Good Eats")

I make this in our middle school Foods class often.  It's a student favorite.  It gives them the opportunity to pull taffy (like great-grandma might have) and the resulting chewy candy keeps the classroom noise level down significantly, at least for a while.  Do not use regular cocoa - its too acidic.  You can buy dutch process (cocoa mixed with alkali) at Whole Foods and Trader Joes.  I find it at other places as well so read the label.  The use of a silpat is also essential.  Nothing sticks to it, which makes the cooling/kneading/stretching process much, much easier.

 - 2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, plus additional for greasing pan and hands

In heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add corn syrup, water, and vinegar to pan and place over medium heat. Stir until sugar and cocoa dissolve, raise heat to high and bring to a boil.
Turn heat down to low, clip candy thermometer to side of pan and cook until mixture reaches 260 degrees F. Remove pan from heat, add the butter and stir.
Butter edges of sheet pan, line with silicone baking sheet and pour on taffy. Allow to cool until you are able to handle it.
Once you are able to handle the taffy, don vinyl gloves, butter them, and begin to fold taffy in thirds using the silicone mat. Pick up taffy and begin to pull folding the taffy back on itself repeatedly twisting as you go.
Taffy is done when it lightens in color, takes on a sheen, and becomes too hard to pull. Roll into log, cut into fourths, roll each fourth into a 1-inch wide log, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Making sure to keep pieces separated or they will stick to each other.

Wrap individual pieces of candy in waxed paper. Store in airtight container 3 to 5 days.
Episode#: EA1G13
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