Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [114]
2 Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F. Line a large rimless baking sheet with parchment paper.
3 Lightly sprinkle your work surface with almond meal. Cut the dough inside the bowl into four equal pieces. It will be soft, sticky, and malleable. Briefly knead each piece a few times to smooth and form into a log, about 7 inches long and 1½ inches wide—first rolling it between your palms, and then briefly rolling on the work surface. If almond pieces protrude, gently press them in while working the dough. Add more almond meal to your work surface if needed. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches in between.
4 Bake the logs until the tops show small cracks, firm up, and just start to brown, 32 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, and carefully slide the parchment paper with the logs onto a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes (or use a metal spatula to transfer the logs if your baking sheet has a rim). Leave the oven on.
5 Transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a large, sharp serrated knife, cut each log diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices. Return the parchment paper to the baking sheet. Place the slices upright (not cut-side up) onto the sheet.
6 Bake until the cantuccini feel dry to the touch at the cut sides (not on top) and just start to brown at the edges, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer the cantuccini to a wire rack to cool completely before storing.
TO GET A HEAD START: The cantuccini can be stored in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks. They freeze well for at least 1 month.
ALMOND MEAL
Almond meal is nothing other than simple ground almonds. Almond meal has become more widely available as bakers cherish its sweet, nutty fragrance. You can easily make it yourself. Place 1 cup whole skin-on almonds (4½ ounces) in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until finely ground, about 35 seconds. This will give you about 1 ⅓ cups almond meal. Keep a close eye to avoid over processing the almonds, as they can turn quickly into an oily paste.
Purple Rice Pudding with Rose Water Dates
The first time I tasted rose water in a milky pudding, as a child in Turkey, I was overwhelmed by its intensity. Always the curious eater, I tried again, wondering whether I could ever like this flavor, and then again—and again and again. Rose water has this effect on you. Its concentrated, bold aroma, evoking the serenity of churches or mosques, does require some getting used to, but when you do, you will never stop longing for it. In this dessert, I infuse sweet dates with rose water’s heady aroma and add them to a rice pudding made with Chinese black rice. This soft-textured rice was once eaten only by the emperors of China. Lotus Foods offers a delicious heirloom variety under the trademarked label Forbidden Rice (see sources). It makes for a stunning dessert as it turns a deep burgundy hue when cooked. Choose firmer dates such as Deglet Noor for this dessert, as you don’t want them to become mushy in the pudding. SERVES 4
PURPLE RICE
1¼ cups water
½ cup Chinese black rice
DATE TOPPING
¼ cup finely chopped pitted dates (about 6)
2 dates, pitted and cut into thin strips
3 teaspoons rose water
RICE PUDDING, AND TO FINISH
1¼ cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 (1-inch) piece cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 To prepare the rice, bring the water and rice to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Decrease the temperature to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender yet still slightly chewy, about 30 minutes. Some water will remain (do not drain).
2 While the rice is cooking, prepare the date topping. Place the chopped dates in a small bowl and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the rose water.