Best Helen Olesss Prosciutto And Olive Braid Recipes

HELEN OLESS'S PROSCIUTTO AND OLIVE BRAID

Steps:

• Sprinkle baking sheet, approximately 9 1/2 by 11 inches, with cornmeal and set aside.
• Saute prosciutto in 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in garlic, fennel seed and pepper. Pour contents into large mixing bowl.
• Add hot water, yeast and sugar.
• Stir in 1 cup all-purpose flour. Beat in 1/4 cup shortening. Add chopped olives.
• Add 1 more cup of all-purpose flour. Dough will be sticky at this point. Scrape out onto work surface.
• Gradually knead in 3 cups of bread flour until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Cover with inverted bowl; rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll dough into a 10-inch-by-15-inch rectangle. Cut three strips in rectangle, leaving about 1/2 inch at end uncut. Braid and pinch bottom end.
• Place on prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place until light and doubled in volume - about one hour. When doubled, bake in preheated 400-degree oven until hollow sound is heard when loaf is tapped on bottom.

HELEN OLESS'S CHEDDAR CHEESE RING

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
• In a saucepan, heat milk, butter, salt and sugar to lukewarm. Add 4 cups of cheese gradually and stir until cheese and butter are melted. Pour into a large bowl and when lukewarm, add yeast mixture and 2 cups semolina flour.
• Work the mixture with a wire whisk until smooth then add caraway seeds and dry mustard. Mix. Batter will begin to thicken and take on a grainy look. Add 1/2 cup of cheese. Mix.
• Add 3 cups bread flour, gradually, stirring with a wooden spoon. Dough will be sticky.
• Turn out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, gradually adding remaining 2 cups of flour.
• If you want to make a braided loaf, shape the dough into 3 balls of equal size and roll out each ball into an 8-inch-by-12-inch rectangle with rolling pin. Starting two inches from the top, slice each rectangle into three equal-size strips. Loosely braid the strips on each rectangle. Pinch the braided ends and form a circle with each piece of dough by connecting it with the other end. This will yield three rings. (If you want a nonbraided ring, simply roll out the three equal-size dough balls into loaves in the shape of French bread, and make a ring.) Make slashes on top of the ring with a sharp knife.
• Place dough rings on baking sheets dusted with cornmeal and let them rise until doubled.
• Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, until a hollow sound is heard when the bottom is tapped.

LINGUINE WITH PROSCIUTTO AND OLIVES

Steps:

• In a 6 to 8-quart pan, cook pasta in 3 quarts boiling water until al dente (7 to 9 minutes or according to package directions).
• Drain.
• Place pasta in a warm bowl.
• Meanwhile, combine prosciutto and oil in a wide skillet.
• Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until prosciutto is lightly browned (about 3 minutes).
• Add onions and cook, stirring, until limp (about 2 minutes).
• Add olives and tomatoes and cook, shaking pan often, until olives are hot (about 2 more minutes).
• Pour prosciutto mixture over noodles and toss well.
• Transfer to a warm serving bowl.
• Offer cheese to add to taste, if desired.

FIG-OLIVE TAPENADE WITH PROSCIUTTO AND PERSIMMON

Steps:

• Place figs in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until soft and pliable, 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and coarsely chop.
• In a food processor, combine chopped figs, olives, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil, and process until mixture becomes a paste, 1 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice. Taste and add more lemon juice and olive oil if you like.
• Spoon tapenade into a bowl or crock and serve alongside thinly sliced prosciutto, persimmon wedges and bread, crackers or breadsticks.

HELOISE'S OLIVE NUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together well.
• Great on a sandwich or on crackers.