Ham, Cheese and Spinach Focaccia

 This recipe is adapted from one called "Cheese Focaccia from Recco" found in Savory Baking from the Mediterranean by Anissa Helou. Her recipe called for a cheese focaccia made with taleggio cheese (an Italian take on brie)... I added a few bonuses and substituted fontina cheese (another soft, cow's milk cheese).

I was totally dazzled by how few ingredients go into making the bread. There is an element of "mix it, walk away, knead it, take the dog for a walk, knead it, take a nap" ... So I thought it was perfect for making on a laid back Saturday :)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 c unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for working with the dough
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil for the dough
• extra olive oil for brushing the pan
• 9 oz soft cow's milk cheese (Fontina, Taleggio, Brie, Mozzarella... you pick)
• 1/2 c finely diced ham
• 1/2 c chopped spinach

1. Combine flour and fine salt in a large mixing bowl with a well shaped into the center. Add the EVOO into the well and incorporate into flour with your fingertips. Slowly add 1/3 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon warm water. Knead briefly to make a rough ball of dough.

2. Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes on a floured work surface. Turn the bowl over and cover the dough on the countertop for 15 minutes. (It's really amazing how much the dough "relaxes" during it's 15 minute cat-nap!!)

3. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes until it's smooth. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly floured bowl, covered with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.

4. Fold the dough. Cover again. Put it back in it's happy place for another hour. The dough will have expanded some during this rest period.

5. On your floured work surface, cut the dough in half and shape each half into a ball. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest 15 minutes.

6. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. On your floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough to be quite thin and about 12 inches in diameter. Liberally brush a non-stick baking sheet with olive oil and place the dough round on it. Add thinly sliced cheese, ham, and spinach to the center of the dough.

7. Roll out the other dough ball to just slightly bigger than the first piece. Just barely dampen the edges, and flip it over so that it covers the dough/toppings. Seal the edges by pressing with your fingers. Optional: I added some finely shredded fontina to the top of the focaccia (because it felt very "Panera") and it turned out crispy and visually enhanced the look of the bread.

8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown all over. Let sit 5 minutes, then slice and serve while cheese is still warm.

(Julia Child's) Grandmother's Potatos Au Gratin with Ham

Possibly the most thoughtful gift that I received this Christmas was from my dear friend, Alyssa. She gifted me with The Way to Cook by Julia Child, and as soon as I got it home I flipped through every page of it. The book is organized in such an intuitive way, that I almost read it like a text. Core recipes branch out into multiple variations, so once I know how to saute Chicken, I'll have 10 new dishes up my sleeve! Amazing. But, this post is not about sauteed chicken, it's about using Christmas leftovers, which is another topic that Julia frequently references! And now... Having blabbered on like an Amy Adams movie, I'm just going to post the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs "boiling" potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4" thin
• 1 oz butter (1/4 of a stick)
• 1 1/2 T flour
• 2 c hot milk
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Small punch of nutmeg and thyme
• 1 clove garlic, mashed
• 1 T dijon mustard
• 1 c Italian blend of cheeses, shredded
• 2 c leftover ham slices

 Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375. In a medium sized pan, cover potatoes with cold water, then cover and bring to a boil. Let boil 3-4 minutes, they will be mostly cooked but not quite. Drain, return to pan and cover again (so that the potatoes will firm up), then let sit open until you are ready to assemble the dish.
2. Make a white sauce by melting the butter in a medium pan on medium heat. Add the flour and whisk quickly until the mixture is smooth. Add the garlic and continue whisking 2 minutes, reduce heat if roux begins to darken.
3. Add 1/2 of the hot milk, and continue stirring until sauce thickens, slowly add the other 1/2 and continue whisking. Continue simmering for 2-3 minutes until sauce is creamy. Add dijon, and seasonings.
4. Dice leftover ham into good sized chunks.
5. In a medium sized casserole dish, layer the first 1/2 of each of these ingredients in casserole in this way, then repeat. Potatoes, ham, sauce, cheese.
6. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes, then let stand 15 minutes before serving.