zxcvbob wrote:

> Bob (this one) wrote:
>=20
>> Dr. Dog wrote:
>>
>>> Ripper McGuinn wrote:
>>>
>>>>>> From one of my food magazines - fantastic if your're doing=20
>>>>>> "Breakfast for Supper" along with poached eggs:
>>>>
>>>> Billionaire's Bacon
>>>>
>>>> sliced bacon (quantity to satisfy your requirements, at least four=20
>>>> strips per person) brown sugar Place the brown sugar in a shallow=20
>>>> pie plate. Place the bacon in the sugar and pat firmly, turning to=20
>>>> coat both sides. Don't worry if some falls off. Remove
>>>> the bacon from the sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet (I
>>>> put mine on a rack as well) and bake in a preheated 425F oven
>>>> for fifteen minutes, turning once. Remove from the oven and let
>>>> cool - the sugar will have carmellized to a sweet varnish on the
>>>> bacon, making an already-delicious food irresistable!
>>>
>>> There's an easier method. 1) Fry bacon to crispness. 2) Pour off=20
>>> most, but not all, of the bacon grease; 3)Throw in brown sugar and=20
>>> refry quickly.
>>>
>>> I used to do this all the time, and put the whole sticky mess on=20
>>> plain rice. Atkins would /not/ approve!
>
>> I go to a local country market where they slice dry-cured bacon on a=20
>> band saw to whatever thickness you'd like. I get it 1/4" thick for=20
>> this. I put it on a rack over a 1/2-size baking sheet in a 250=B0F ove=
n=20
>> for about 1/2 hour, until the fat is rendered out of it and the bacon =

>> is light as a whisper. On some strips I drizzle honey. On others,=20
>> maple sugar. On others brown sugar. And back into the oven for another=
=20
>> 15 minutes or so. The sugars melt into the bacon strips. I serve these=
=20
>> as appetizers. People are astonished.
>>
>> In a BLT with green tomatoes, it creates a startling but wonderful=20
>> sandwich.
>>
>> Pastorio
>>
> What do you do with the bacon grease? (you do save it, don't you?)

Only a commie wouldn't save the rendered fat. I use it in making=20
piadine from Italian cooking. The classic recipe asks for lard, and I=20
use it, but I always add just a smidge of bacon fat for the extra, if=20
inauthentic flavor.


Pastorio's Piadine (pyah-dee-neh)

Makes 8 to 10, depending on how big you want them

This Italian flat bread is usually made with flour, salt, water=20
and lard and dry-fried on a griddle or cast iron pan. In more modern=20
times, the lard has given way to shortening or olive oil, but the old=20
way was more flavorful. I sometimes substitute a tablespoon of bacon=20
fat. It is wonderful as a sandwich base for cured meats and cheeses.=20
It can also be made into a dessert item as described below.

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of lard or shortening
1/2 cup warm water
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and=20
add the lard and the water. Mix well and knead on a lightly floured=20
surface until smooth and elastic, between 5 and 10 minutes. Cover with=20
a floured towel for about 20 minutes. Knead again and divide into 8 to=20
10 equal pieces. Sprinkle with flour and roll out into a 6- to 8-inch=20
wide circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Dock (pierce) with a fork and cook=20
on a dry griddle or cast iron frying pan for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Test the pan with a few drops of cold water. It's ready when the water=20
skips and skitters across its surface. If the water just sits and=20
boils, the pan is not hot enough to use. When it's ready, drop a disk=20
of dough onto the griddle . When cooked, little charred bubbles form=20
on the dough, it's ready. They need to be checked fairly regularly as=20
the process goes quickly. When cooked, stack the piadine under a=20
towel or tuck them into a paper bag so they stay warm.

Piadine can be used as a base on which other foods are piled. In that=20
case, serve warm with cured meats and fresh cheeses. A salad piled on=20
it goes well with the chewy, dense texture. Or, brush lightly with=20
olive oil, sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary and salt like a foccacia.=


Fillings can be cheeses, meats like mortadella, grilled and thinly=20
sliced sausages or whatever else you'd like. Or brush lightly with=20
olive oil, sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary and salt and serve warm.

Or, for dessert, you can spread a thin layer of Nutella or something=20
like it on half the uncooked piadina. Fold the other half over and=20
crimp the edges. Cook as usual. Careful eating it, the filling will be=20
hot.


There's also a YEAST BREAD VARIANT. I do it in a food processor, but=20
it can be done with a mixer with bread hooks or by hand. I sometimes=20
roll these disks thicker so I can split them horizontally to fill.=20
Sorta like pita. But be sure to cook them a bit longer because of the=20
added thickness.

1 envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (110?F)
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil to finish
In a bowl, combine yeast, water and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Let=20
proof about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of flour, the oil, and salt, and=20
stir with a heavy spoon to make a dough. Turn out onto a floured=20
surface and knead until smooth, adding more flour if needed to make a=20
soft but still slightly moist dough. Shape into a ball, dust with=20
flour and cover with a floured towel to rise until doubled, about 45=20
minutes. Punch it down, knead, and cut into 8 equal pieces. Roll each=20
piece to a circle about 1/4-inch thick, 6 to 8 inches in diameter.=20
Dock the dough and cook on the griddle as above until golden with some=20
dark spots. Remove, brush lightly with the olive oil and repeat with=20
the remaining dough. Roll the bread around the toppings of choice and=20
serve warm

In a processor, I put the yeast, water and a bit of flour in the bowl=20
and let them work for 10 minutes or so. Then dump everything in and=20
run it for about 45 seconds. It forms a ball. The dough should be soft=20
and slightly sticky. I put it into sprayed bowl to rise. Cover with=20
plastic wrap. Finish as above.