Asparagus Salami And Mozzarella Tarts Recipes

WHOLE-GRAIN SALAMI AND MOZZARELLA PIZZA

Steps:

• Set a pizza stone or a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.
• Divide the pizza dough into 2 balls. Put one ball on a heavily floured surface and roll and shape into a thin 11-inch circle with a thicker edge. Transfer to a floured pizza peel or floured upside-down baking sheet. Spread half the pizza sauce evenly on the dough round. Top with 3 slices of salami and half the cheese. (Make sure the dough, with all its toppings, can slide back and forth easily on the pizza peel; if not, add more flour.)
• Carefully slide the dough onto the hot pizza stone (the dough may not be perfectly round when it slides onto the stone). Bake until the bottom of the crust is lightly browned and very crisp and the cheese is melted, about 7 minutes.
• Remove the crust from the oven, top with basil and sprinkle with some crushed red pepper. Cut into 4 pieces. Repeat with the second ball of dough and remaining toppings.
• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Add the bulgur and quinoa and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the grains to a fine-mesh strainer and hold under cold running water to stop the cooking. Let the grains drain in the strainer for 15 minutes, then spread them out on a thick layer of paper towels to absorb any extra moisture. Meanwhile, coarsely grind the flaxseeds in a spice grinder, just to break them open.
• Stir together the warm water, agave and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl. Let sit until a small layer of foam develops at the top, 3 to 5 minutes. (If this doesn't happen, discard and try again with new yeast.)
• Whisk the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl; add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil and mix together with a stiff rubber spatula. When the dough starts to come together, mix in the cooked grains, ground flaxseeds and sunflower seeds; form the dough into a uniform ball in the center of the bowl. Be sure to scrape and use any dough stuck to the sides. The dough will be very sticky at this stage. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on a clean, dry work surface. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes, working in just enough flour to make the dough less sticky but still moist to the touch. Flour your hands periodically to prevent sticking. Form the dough into one single ball or divide it into smaller balls. Place the dough ball(s) on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, the dough can be shaped and cooked as desired.

SALAMI-MOZZARELLA CALZONE

Steps:

• Place a baking sheet upside down in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Beat the eggs, parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl. Pour half of the egg mixture into a medium bowl and stir in the mozzarella. Reserve the remaining egg mixture for brushing on the crust.
• Turn another baking sheet upside down; line with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Unroll the dough on the parchment paper and pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread the mozzarella mixture over one half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edge. Top with the salami, followed by the pickled vegetables and provolone. Fold the other half of the dough over to cover the filling. Crimp and roll the edges to seal, then pierce the top of the dough in a few places with a knife.
• Slide the calzone with the parchment paper onto the hot baking sheet; bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining egg mixture, then continue to bake until the crust is golden, 5 to 10 more minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then cut into wedges.

PASSION FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• For the filling: In the top of a double boiler, whisk together the butter, sugar, eggs, and passion fruit juice until the mixture is thick and will hold a line, about 12 minutes. Transfer the double-boiler insert to a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water, and stir occasionally until cool. The mixture will be quite thick.
• For the crust: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, the salt, lard, and butter and rub together with the tips of your fingertips until the mixture resembles small peas. Add the remaining 1/4 cup flour and bring together into a rough mass. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time and press into the mixture with a fork or your fingertips just until the mixture adheres into a dough. You may not need all the ice water. Press the dough into a ball and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• To assemble the tarts: Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thick and, using a small plate or a cardboard template, cut the dough into six 4 1/2-inch diameter rounds. Transfer the rounds to 2 baking sheets, prick all over with a fork, and freeze for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425.
• Bake the tart bases for 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly golden. Using a large heavy spatula, transfer them to a rack (they crumble easily) and, when cool, spread with a nice thick layer of the passionfruit curd almost out to the edges of the pastry. Scatter the pistachio nuts around the very edges of the tarts and serve.

ASPARAGUS AND MOZZARELLA SALAD

Steps:

• Simmer the asparagus until just cooked through. Rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain, pat dry and cut the spears, on the diagonal, into 1inch long pieces; set aside.
• Make a dressing of olive oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic and season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine the asparagus and mozzarella and lightly dress with half of the dressing.
• Alternate rounds of tomato and salami on the outside of each dinner plate; center asparagus and mozzarella mixture in the middle; drizzle remaining dressing over the tomatoes and salami. Garnish asparagus and mozzarella with roasted peppers.

SPRING PASTA SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS, TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Put up a large pot of salted water for cooking the pasta and bring it to a boil.
• Add the asparagus and blanch it until just tender, about 3 minutes.
• Scoop the asparagus from the water with a large strainer spoon and place in a colander. Run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, and to preserve the bright green color. Drain well and slice into small pieces on the diagonal, leaving the tips whole.
• Bring the water back to a rapid boil and cook the penne until just al dente (tender but slightly firm to the bite). Run the pasta under cold water and drain very well.
• In a large serving bowl, add the pasta, the blanched asparagus and all the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and toss well until all the pasta is well coated with dressing. Taste for seasoning. This is best served at room temperature.
• Note: Another lovely addition to this pasta is about 3/4 cup freshly shelled spring peas. Blanch them for 1 minute in the boiling pasta water after you blanch the asparagus. Drain well and add them to the bowl along with the other ingredients.

ASPARAGUS MOZZARELLA SALAD

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 1/2 in. of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the cheese, tomatoes, onion and basil., In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, mustard and pepper. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Drizzle with lemon juice. Chill until serving.

SALAMI ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• In a large skillet, bring 1 in. of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain and immediately place in ice water. Drain and pat dry. , In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, red pepper, onion, salami and feta cheese. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetable mixture and toss to coat. , Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.