Focaccia: Rosemary & Parmigiano Reggiano

What's a girl to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon, oh I don't know- bake some bread? I guess I am just getting a little ahead of myself, seeing as my Viennoiserie class does not start until May. Its okay though, the practice can't  hurt.

 

There aren't many things better than freshly baked breads and with a little patience and the ability to carefully follow directions, you too can make your own.

 Focaccia is similar to pizza dough, but so much better. Fluffy, chewy, light, & airy and with an endless variety of toppings makes this bread an amazing snack, sandwich bread, or perfect with an entree. I chose to use a very classic rosemary topping on one loaf, and copious amounts of Parmesan cheese on the other loaf.

 Need ideas for what to do with all these delicious focaccia squares? How about some sliders, everything is better in "mini" anyway.

Grilled Herbed Flatbread & Ricotta Cheese

I have a list of foods that once I try it scratch made, I will never buy the store bought version again & I can safely add ricotta cheese to that list. Never in my wildest dream did I ever think attemping to make cheese at home, but I was watching the Barefoot Contessa over the weekend and that episode she made herb ricotta bruschetta. It seemed pretty easy, only four ingredients: milk, cream, salt, vinegar. So why not? Let me tell you, it is SO much better than anything out of a plastic tub from a grocery store. 

Now with all this fresh cheese, you need something to put it on right? I used some of it in a raspberry cheese danish filling, but that is not what this post is about. The rest of it was mixed with chopped scallions and flat-leaf parsley and spread on a rosemary and parmesan flatbread which I also made.

Simple dough. Simple cheese. This is a great snack or side for a main entree.

Crab & Leek Quiche

I remember when I was younger my mom would always buy those frozen pre-made quiches from the grocery store. I would scoop out all of the filling and go straight for the pie crust. Makes sense, since I love pie crust and basically still do this with fruit pies.

Quiches are so simple and although they have a fancy french name, they are basically an omelet with a crust. You can put any type of filling you like in them, the possibilities are endless. I had some lump crab meat and a few leeks from school which pair together nicely.

This dish is so warm and comforting, especially during the colder months.