Ciabatta Florentine Recipes

CROSTINI ALLA ROMANA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the slices of ciabatta on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden around the edges, about 8 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven. Place the prosciutto slices and mozzarella on the crostini toast and return to the oven to melt the cheese, about 8 more minutes.
• Meanwhile combine the butter and the sage leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and starting to brown in spots and the sage leaves are crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the crostini to a serving plate. Drizzle the crostini with the sage butter and serve immediately.

FETA FLORENTINE BURGERS WITH FRIZZLED PROSCIUTTO ON PARMESAN-TOASTED CIABATTA ROLLS

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
• Combine the mayonnaise and sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the patties: Place the oil in a 12-inch fire-proof skillet and set on the grill rack. When the oil is hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add the sirloin, feta cheese, and salt. With your hands or a large spoon, gently mix well, handling the meat as little as possible to prevent compacting it. Form into 6 equal-sized patties.
• For the prosciutto: Pour the oil into the same skillet and place on the grill rack. When the oil is hot, add the prosciutto. Cook until well crisped, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; set aside.
• When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook until the bottoms are brown, about 4 minutes. With a spatula, turn over the patties and cook an additional 4 minutes, or until done to your preference (internal temperature of 160 degrees F). During the last few minutes of grilling, top each patty with a slice of mozzarella cheese until melted. Lightly brush the cut sides of the rolls with the 4 tablespoons olive oil. Rub the cut sides of the garlic over the insides of the rolls, then sprinkle and press with the Parmesan. Place the rolls, cut sides down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly.
• To assemble the burgers: Spread the mayonnaise mixture on the insides of the warm toasted rolls. Layer the bottom rolls with divided greens, the patties, and divided frizzled prosciutto. Top with the remaining rolls, serve, and enjoy!

TOASTED CIABATTA WITH BALSAMIC SYRUP

Steps:

• Boil the balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Toast the bread slices. Spread the butter over the toasts. Arrange the toasts on a platter. Drizzle the reduced balsamic syrup over the toasts then sprinkle with a little more sugar, and serve.

CIABATTA

Steps:

• To Make Sponge: In a small bowl stir together 1/8 teaspoon of the yeast and the warm water and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In a bowl stir together yeast mixture, 1/3 cup of the water, and 1 cup of the bread flour. Stir 4 minutes, then cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sponge stand at cool room temperature for at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.
• To Make Bread: In a small bowl stir together yeast and milk and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with dough hook blend together milk mixture, sponge, water, oil, and flour at low speed until flour is just moistened; add salt and mix until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Scrape dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough will be sticky and full of air bubbles.) Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface and cut in half. Transfer each half to a parchment sheet and form into an irregular oval about 9 inches long. Dimple loaves with floured fingers and dust tops with flour. Cover loaves with a dampened kitchen towel. Let loaves rise at room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• At least 45 minutes before baking ciabatta, put a baking stone on oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to 425 F (220 degrees C).
• Transfer 1 loaf on its parchment to a rimless baking sheet with a long side of loaf parallel to far edge of baking sheet. Line up far edge of baking sheet with far edge of stone or tiles, and tilt baking sheet to slide loaf with parchment onto back half of stone or tiles. Transfer remaining loaf to front half of stone in a similar manner. Bake ciabatta loaves 20 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool loaves on a wire rack.

CIABATTA FLORENTINE

Steps:

• 1. Place the oil into a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic.
• 2. When oil gets hot. But, not boiling. Turn burner off. ( do not boil) Do not let garlic turn dark brown. That means the garlic is burnt. You just want it to sit in the hot oil for about 30inutes. Stir occasionally.
• 3. Add in that remaining ingredients. Remove from burner. Set aside.
• 4. Heat oven or toaster oven to 400°. Place Pinenuts on a baking sheet. Toast until light golden brown. Keep an eye on them. They toast up quickly. Remove from oven to cool. Set aside
• 5. Prep: Finley slice and chop red bell pepper. slice and chop sun-dried tomatoes. Mix together in a bowl and drain.
• 6. Slice Ciabatta bread into about 16 slices. About 3/4 inch thick. Place on baking sheet. Place in 400° oven until lightly toasted on top. Turn bread and iightly toast. remove from oven.
• 7. Top each slice with garlic oil , mozzarella, sun-dried tomato, red pepper and spinach. Place back in oven.
• 8. Bake until mozzarella is melted and hot. Remove from oven and sprinkle with pinenuts. Serve hot!
• 9. Note: you will probably have some oil left over. Strain garlic from oil before storing in fridge for up to five days. You may use oil for bread dipping, or other!

FLORENTINE CIABATTA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat: stir in seasonings. Cool completely., Preheat oven to 400°. Place bread on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 5-7 minutes on each side. Spread with garlic oil. Top with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers and spinach; sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve immediately.