dinner

French Baguettes (2 small batards)

Adapted from "Kneadlessly Simple"

3 and 1/4 cups white flour or bread flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 package yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

oil for coating bowls/loaves

Mix yeast with warm water and set aside to dissolve. Stir together flour and salt. 

Stir wet and dry ingredients until they come together (the dough should be quite stiff; add more flour as necessary). 

Knead until the dough is smooth. (OPTIONAL)

Put dough in an oiled bowl and oil the top of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1-2 hours. (Can rise up to ten hours in the fridge.)

Take dough out, punch down, divide into two portions, and allow to rise on the cutting board with the bowl (or a damp cloth) over it. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. 

Shape the dough pieces into baguettes. (Traditionally I think they roll out into a rectangle and roll it up, tucking in the ends.) Put them on well-oiled baking sheets. Allow to rise, covered with a damp cloth, for 45 to 75 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Spritz the loaves with water, or put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven, to maximize crustiness. Bake until they look done--mine took 12 minutes, but the recipe book says 20 or so.

That came from my daughter Sylvia.

Mom's Eggplant.

First mom takes two eggplants.

She slices them very thin, but not incredibly thin.

Then soaks the pieces in salted water. Then she takes them after thirty or so minutes and puts in a collander, presses down a bit with a bowl, puts on paper towels over a towel.

These she lets sit a bit while mixing flour, hum I guess two cups or so, Italian seasoning, oregano in a bowl and in another mixing three eggs.

She coats the eggplant slices with egg, dips in flour. 

I thought I saw her today repeat that but it might be just a mistake, she says once.

These she fries in a large skillet until brown in olive oil-they float.

About an inch.

She removes to a cookie sheet with paper towels.

At this point family members eat some.

She layers these with usually one to two jars of a sauce. I like Rao's. It's all I buy. She likes Classico Tomato Basil.

In a pan like for a lasagne layer sauce. Then a couple rows eggplant slices fried. Then sauce then cheese. She INSISTS on using a cup or so of grated mozzarella whole milk and a cup or so of Monterey Jack and a handful of grated Parmesan in a bowl which she layers with. She makes two or three layers. Ending with cheese.  Mom will not make this without all three cheeses and fresh ones-but not that fresh milk mozarella thats really wet-she doesn't like that effect but I do.

So then she covers with foil and bakes at 350 for maybe an hour.

It's better if it sits out a bit before eating and its good left over.

So enjoy and have a salad too.