Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [101]
3 Return the saucepan to medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently (stir constantly if using cumin powder), until the onion softens and just starts to brown at the edges, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens, about 1 minute.
4 Stir in the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, rye berries, and chorizo. Add water if needed, up to ½ cup (depending on the tomatoes you use), to get a slightly saucelike consistency similar to a risotto. Bring to a boil, stirring. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the flavors come together, 10 to 15 minutes.
5 To finish, add ½ teaspoon sugar. Taste for sugar and salt and adjust, adding a few twirls of pepper if you like, and serve.
TO GET A HEAD START: Make the rye berries, as in step 1, ahead.
TO VARY IT: Use about 2 cups cooked whole wheat berries for a change.
TO LIGHTEN IT: Use 2 ounces chorizo to add just enough of its smoky-rich flavor.
TO MAKE IT VEGETARIAN: Omit the chorizo. In step 3, use 1 tablespoon olive oil to sauté the vegetables. Sprinkle the dish with ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese if you like.
Easy Whole Wheat and Olive Oil Tart Shell
This is one of my favorite go-to crusts for savory quiches and tarts. If you want to trick your family into eating more whole grains, be sure to use white whole wheat flour. Olive oil makes the dough easy to work with—perfect if you are intimidated by the process of making a crust. There’s no need to fiddle with a rolling pin because the dough is simply pressed by hand into the tart pan. This is the crust to use for the Caramelized Onion Quiche with Lavender and Crisped Prosciutto and for the Sardine Tart with Sweet Bell Peppers and Currants. Don’t be surprised if little white dots appear across the crust when you chill it. These are just undissolved crystals of fine sea salt; they won’t affect the outcome. MAKES 1 PARTIALLY OR FULLY BAKED 9½‑ TO 10‑INCH TART SHELL
¾ cup white whole wheat or regular whole wheat flour (3¼ ounces)
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour (3 ounces)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup chilled whole or lowfat milk
SEE MEASURING WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR
1 Lightly grease a 9½- or 10-inch tart pan with olive oil. Use a metal tart pan with a removable bottom or a ceramic tart pan, according to the recipe instructions.
2 TO MAKE THE DOUGH IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR: Place the white whole wheat and whole wheat pastry flours, the baking powder, and the salt in the bowl and process to combine, about 10 seconds. Pour the olive oil and milk into a liquid 2-cup measure and beat with a fork until thoroughly combined. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and pulse, in 1-second intervals, just until a soft ball of dough forms, 3 to 5 pulses.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH BY HAND: Whisk together the white whole wheat and whole wheat pastry flours, the baking powder, and the salt in a medium bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the olive oil and the milk into a liquid 2-cup measure and beat with a fork until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into the well. Using a dough whisk or a fork, stir from the center, gradually incorporating the flour from the sides until a soft, lumpy dough just comes together.
3 Scrape the lumpy dough into the tart pan. Press it gently but firmly into the pan (it will look raggedy), using the bottom of a cup measure to even it out and pressing it up the sides to create a 1-inch rim. Be sure to patch up any tears with your fingers. Prick the crust all over with a fork and chill, uncovered, for 1 hour, or overnight covered with plastic wrap.
4 Position a rack in the center of the