It’s a recipe that caught his attention on a research trip to Rome! J. M. Hirsch, editorial director at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street and co-author of the all-new “Milk Street: Backroads Italy”, joined us to share a favorite recipe from the new cookbook. Join J.M. at the following book event:
J. M. Hirsch in Conversation With Claire Lower”Milk Street: Backroads Italy”Wednesday, April 16th7:00 pmPowell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. Beaverton |For more information, click hereFOCACCIA POMODORO E OLIVETOMATO-OLIVE FOCACCIA
Start to finish: 7 1/4 hours (40 minutes active), plus cooling
Servings: 12
At Panificio Fiore in Bari, Antonio Fiore showed us how this focaccia bakes up impossibly tender thanks to an unexpectedly high hydration level. To achieve a light, open-crumbed texture, the dough must be wet—so wet, in fact, it verges on a thick, yet pourable batter. Resist the temptation to add more flour than is called for. Shaping such a sticky, high-hydration dough by hand is impossible. Instead, the dough is gently poured and scraped into the oiled baking pan; gravity settles it into an even layer. If you have trouble finding Castelvetrano olives, substitute any large, meaty green olive. To slice the baked focaccia for serving, use a serrated knife and a sawing motion to cut through the crust and crumb without compressing it. If desired, serve with extra-virgin olive oil for dipping. For convenience, the dough can be prepared and transferred to the baking pan a day in advance. After it has settled in the pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The next day, prepare the toppings. Uncover, top the dough with the olives and tomatoes and let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes, then finish and bake as directed.
502 grams (31/3 cups) bread flour5 teaspoons instant yeast1 teaspoon white sugar2 cups water, cool room temperature8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided1 3/4 teaspoons table salt, divided 130 grams (1 cup) cherry tomatoes, halved138 grams (1 cup) Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved (see headnote)1 teaspoon dried oregano 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Don’t disturb the dough during its rise. And when transferring the dough to the baking pan, handle it gently. The goal is to retain as much gas in the dough as possible so the focaccia bakes up with an airy texture. Don’t use a baking dish made of glass or ceramic; neither will produce a crisp, browned exterior, and glass is not safe to use in a 500F oven.
In a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the flour, yeast and sugar on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on low, drizzle in the water, then increase to medium and mix until the ingredients form a very wet, smooth dough, about 5 minutes. Turn off the mixer, cover the bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coat the bottom and sides of a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil; set aside.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the dough, then knead on medium until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes; the dough will be wet enough to cling to the sides of the bowl. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the dough into the oiled bowl. Dip your fingers into the oil pooled at the sides of the bowl and dab the surface of the dough until completely coated with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 5 1/2 to 6 hours; during this time, the dough will double in volume, deflate, then rise again (but will not double in volume again).
After the dough has risen for about 4 1/2 hours, heat the oven to 500F with a baking steel or stone on the middle rack. Mist a 9-by-13- inch metal baking pan with cooking spray, then pour 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in the center of the pan; set aside.
When the dough is ready, gently pour it into the prepared pan, scraping the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to loosen; try to retain as much air in the dough as possible. The dough will eventually settle into an even layer in the pan; do not spread the dough with a spatula, as this will cause it to deflate. Set aside while you prepare the tomatoes.
In a medium bowl, use a potato masher to lightly crush the tomatoes. Scatter the olives evenly over the dough, then do the same with the tomatoes, leaving the juice and seeds in the bowl. If the dough has not fully filled the corners of the pan, use your hands to lightly press the toppings to push the dough into the corners. Let stand uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Drizzle the dough with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil, making sure each tomato is coated. Sprinkle evenly with the oregano, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Place the pan on the baking steel or stone and bake until golden brown and the sides of the focaccia have pulled away from the pan, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, lift the focaccia from the pan and slide it onto the rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Excerpted from MILK STREET BACKROADS ITALY by Christopher Kimball and J.M. Hirsch. Copyright 2025 by CPK Media, LLC. Photograph by Connie Miller. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.
SPAGHETTI ALLA FELICEPASTA WITH RICOTTA, TOMATOES AND HERBS
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
A family-owned restaurant that opened in 1936, Felice a Testaccio in Rome is known for serving up traditional fare, including tonnarelli cacio e pepe. But it was the spaghetti alla Felice that caught our attention during a recent visit. Piping-hot, just-drained al dente pasta was tossed with grape tomatoes, olive oil, a mixture of fresh herbs and ricotta cheese. The dish was creamy but not at all heavy, and the bright, fresh flavors and textures were simple and elegant. Adapting the recipe, we learned that good-quality whole-milk ricotta is key. Look for a brand made without gums or stabilizers; it will taste purer and sweeter and have a superior texture. As for the herbs, use a mix of a few types listed in the recipe to achieve a wide spectrum of flavors, from anise sweetness to menthol freshness, hints of citrus to earthy, woodsy notes. If you choose to add marjoram and/or oregano, do so sparingly, as they are very assertive herbs.
2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 teaspoon white sugar 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serveKosher salt and ground black pepper1 1/2 cups finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as mint, basil, thyme, oregano and/or marjoram (see headnote)15- or 16-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese1 pound spaghetti or linguineFinely grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
Don’t use more than 7 cups of water to boil the pasta. It’s a scant amount, but intentionally so. The pasta cooking water is added to the sauce and noodles as they’re tossed; its starchiness loosens the sauce and helps it cling to the linguine.
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, sugar, 1/4 cup of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss, then, using a potato masher, gently crush the tomatoes until they release some juice. Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
To the tomato mixture, add the herbs and fold until incorporated. Stir in 1 cup of the ricotta; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ricotta, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
In a large pot, bring 7 cups water to a boil. Stir in the pasta and 1 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander set in a large heatproof bowl. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible, then add the pasta to the tomato-ricotta mixture; reserve the cooking water. Using tongs, toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings to the noodles.
Divide the pasta among individual bowls, drizzle with additional oil and serve, offering the seasoned ricotta and Parmesan cheese on the side.
Excerpted from MILK STREET BACKROADS ITALY by Christopher Kimball and J.M. Hirsch. Copyright 2025 by CPK Media, LLC. Photograph by Joe Murphy. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.