Father's Day: Italian Bread and Meatball Sandwiches
When I saw Sylvia's sandwiches I immediately knew what we were having for Father's Day! I made BBA's Italian Bread. Thanks to information gleaned from David's posts I knew to increase the mixing time. I think it took about 10 minutes on medium speed in my KA to pass the window pane test.
I used a regular biga (is there really any such animal?) that I made the day before and held overnight in the refrigerator. I made one loaf and 4 hoagie-style rolls (each roll weighed about 5 ounces).
Note to self: whenever putting sesame seeds on the outside of loaves, rolls, etc., brush the target with egg white wash or most of them will be on the floor and not in your mouth. I can't tell you how many times I swept the kitchen floor yesterday! Before bagging the breads, Jim said, "Why don't we just scrape the seeds off!" I agreed whole-heartedly!
My meatball recipe is oddly (just kidding) similar to Sylvia's. It comes come foodtv's Ina Garten. You can read it here if you are interested.
I, like Sylvia, really think San Marzano tomatoes are the best and use them in all my special dishes.
The meal was a winner and the bread held up very well to the meatballs and sauce. I dressed the meatball with a semi-firm whole-milk mozzarella and popped them under the broiler for a few minutes.
I wanted my picture to look like just like Sylvia's but was out of parsley, so I had to substitute a sprig of cilantro :-) which I threw away after taking the photo.
Happy Father's Day to all,
--Pamela
Comments
Pamela, Beautiful hoagie rolls, sauce with meatballs and meatball Sandwich! Everything looks absolutely delicious...They will be even better tomorrow!
Sylvia
Those look great, Pamela!
I want to see the video of you eating one ... for instructional purposes, of course.
David
Marvelous, tasty, and fun, all-in-one, thanks for the info, made a note.
My husband is after me to make them after seeing Sylvia's ,and being the cheese junkie he is I might as well go ahead and go get busy! Just happen to have some tomato sauce in the freezer that we had made a few weeks. No excusses, I just have to watch that rise closer this time!
That looks absolutely delicious! The rolls are perfectly shaped, nice job. I know what you mean about the seeds. They look really nice, but I don't think it's worth putting them on, the majority lands on the table, the floor, down the front of me.
I was reading another fav blog, Food Blogga. The latest blog was on Italian chicken cutlet sandwiches. http://foodblogga.blogspot.com/2009/06/whats-your-favorite-chicken-sandwich.html This one is dying for one of those rolls. Chicken cutlet, broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic and mozzerella.
Whaddya think?
Betty
Thanks, Betty. Those chicken cutlets with broccoli rabe look terrific. Yes I think these rolls would be perfect. Thanks for the link to that blog.
--Pamela
...could we say you're on a roll?
re those pesky sesame seeds...I find it easiest to get them on the dough at the beginning of the final proof. I sprinkle the seeds on a rimmed baking sheet. When the dough is formed for the final proof, I lightly mist the top and sides with water and place the dough, top down, in the seeds and then rock it side to side (b/c I usually make batards). They then proof and are baked. The seeds, amazingly, stay on.
I prefer to use untoasted sesame seeds on the outside, since they'll toast during the bake (toasted ones tend to burn a bit).
Always enjoy reading your blog.
Thanks for your comments! I will try putting on the sesame seeds at the beginning. What a great idea. I'm still sweeping the floor!
Working on my next bread,
--Pamela
that was in here somewhere!
Just below this post, Audra.
--Pamela