Baguette

Ted Allen's baguettes

In a food processor, mix 3 1/4 cup bread flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp dry yeast.  Mix.  With blade running, add 1 1/2 cups warm water and 1 tbsp olive oil.  Mix for 30 seconds.  Oil a large bowl, place dough (which will be sticky) in it and cover with saran wrap.  Let rise until doubled, about 3 hours.  

Flour your hands, scoop up dough and divide into 2 rectangles.  Cover and let rest 30 min.

Lightly dust peel with cornmeal.  Arange dough on peel.  Fold the dough lengthwise halfway onto itself, then fold the other side onto it and pinch it.  Roll until about 2 inches wide.  Repeat with the other.  Cover and let
 rest another 1-2 hours.  

Preheat oven for 30 minutes with stone at 450 degrees.

Mix 1 egg with 1 tbsp water.  Brush on dough.  Make 4 slits in top of each.  Slide onto pizza stone.  Spray bread and walls of oven with spray bottle of water (couple of squirts).  Bake 5 minutes.  Spray walls again.  Bake another 25 minutes.  Let cool.

They are not pretty, but they were tasty.

Chicken Paillards

Chicken Paillards with pancetta

This is based on a recipe from Ted Allen's In My Kitchen.  I really like this cookbook, so much in fact that I ordered it after I made his no knead bread.  It was delicious.  This was also good.  Sanford wants to try it with pork loin next, but I liked it with chicken.  He has a prejudice, maybe rightfully so, against boneless, skinless chicken breast.

Pound out 4 chicken breast to about 1/2 inch thick.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Beat one egg and brush the chicken with it.  Place 2 sage leaves on top and cover with one thin slice of pancetta.  Put in refrigerator for about 15 minutes or until ready to use.  Heat pan for about 5 min.  Add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Cook pancetta side down for 4-5 min or until crisp, turn and cook another couple of minutes.  I placed it in a 200 degree oven to finish cooking while I made the sauce.  Add 1 tbsp butter.  Then add 1 minced shallot.  Cook until soft.  Add 1 tbsp flour.  Cook, stirring, a couple of minutes.  Add 1/2 tsp thyme leaves and 1/4 cup white wine.  Cook a few minutes, stirring.  Add 1 cup chicken broth and 4 chopped sage leaves.  Cook until thickened.  Serve chicken on a pool of sauce.