We’ve all learned that Ben loves to eat. Fortunately for him, he fell in love with a woman who loves to cook. A true match made in foodie heaven!
Like Tori, I don’t always cook just to prepare a meal; often times it’s a way of working through an issue going on in my life, or when I’m stuck in the middle of a chapter and I know where I want the story to go next, but I just can’t seem to find the words to get it there. Yes, even I get writers block from time to time! That’s when cooking time becomes ‘therapy time’.
Cooking for hours in the kitchen allows me to forget about what’s going on in my head, and instead, create something that comes from my heart. Then being able to share that creation with others, very much like writing my books, gives me the sense of fulfillment I need to remember that I know who I am deep down inside, regardless of all the ‘noise’ from the outside world.
So for those of you, who sometimes find yourselves in similar situations, try a little cooking therapy and see if it helps put your head back in alignment with your heart.
Here’s the second recipe tied to my post from June 28th from Guardians of the Chosen, Chapter 12.
Tori’s Tomato Ciabatta with Olives and Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Yellow onions, coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
½ Cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
½ Cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
3 Packages active dry yeast
1 Teaspoon sugar
1 ¾ Cups, warm water
2 ½ Cups all purpose flour
¾ Cup semolina flour
Kosher salt and black pepper
Directions:
1) In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat until lightly caramelized, about 8 minutes.
2) Add the tomato paste and crushed red pepper, cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
3) Stir in the olives and tomatoes and season with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4) In a bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar and water; let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
5) Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir in the 2 ½ cups of flour and semolina, until the dough comes together; it will be very wet.
6) Stir in the cooled olive/tomato mixture and cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel. Let stand in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 ½ hours.
7) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
8) Scrape the dough out onto a well-floured surface and shape into 2 rough loaves, about 14 x 3 ½ inches each.
9) Transfer loaves to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 25 – 30 minutes, until loaves are lightly browned and have risen.
10) Remove bread from oven and allow to cool before slicing.
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