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Netflix and Grill With Chef Lauren
CSSI Staff Post - May 7, 2020
I’ve always been a sucker for Orange Is the New Black. During season 3, Red hosts exclusive dinners for some lucky inmates. The excitement and peace present at those distinguished meals are a perfect representation of how I want everyone to feel when they eat my creations. The more you love and appreciate your dinner guests, the better the food will taste. So set the table, bring out your best hooch—make it special!
Grilled Mango and Ricotta Focaccia
Makes about 24 appetizers
Ingredients
1 tablespoon yeast, dry-active
2 1/2 cups water, approx. 100⁰ F (warm, not hot)
1 tablespoon salt, kosher
1 teaspoon sugar, granulated
6 1/4 cups bread flour
1/3 cup (plus a lot more) olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Maldon salt
1/2 stick butter, unsalted, melted
3 mangoes, sliced thick (approx.1/4”)
1 1/2cups ricotta, whole milk
3 tablespoons balsamic reduction
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
As needed, black pepper, cracked
As needed, Maldon salt
To Prepare Focaccia
- Forget all of the overly complicated things you have ever learned about bread. Let’s simplify!
- Place yeast in warm water and mix with a fork to dissolve. Set aside.
- Place sugar and salt in a 4-quart mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add flour on top of sugar and salt.
- Turn mixer on low speed and add yeast mixture and 1/3 cup olive oil. Mix to combine.
- Turn mixer up to medium high speed and mix for 5-6 minutes, or until your dough feels supple and springy to the touch.
- Grease a large metal work bowl with olive oil and place your dough ball inside. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Grease a half sheet pan with more olive oil. This should be generous. We’re talking probably 1/3 cup or so.
- Remove dough from bowl and stretch to fit half sheet pan. Cover the top of the dough with—you guessed it—more olive oil! Use your hands to make sure dough is fully covered in oil.
- Turn your oven to 350⁰ F and set the pan on top of the stove for another 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Keep your stove off!)
- Using the tips of your fingers, make indentations all over the top of the dough, avoiding poking holes through to the sheet pan.
- Sprinkle with Maldon salt.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
To Prepare Grilled Mango and Ricotta Focaccia
- Slice about half of focaccia into 1/2” slices. Reserve the other half for later when you just want to eat carbs…
- Brush focaccia slices with melted butter. Grill over medium heat about 1 minute, or until golden brown, then flip over until the other side is golden brown.
- Cut slices into roughly 2” pieces.
- Grill slices of mango over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, waiting to flip until grill marks are achieved. Cut each slice into roughly 1” pieces.
- Spread 1 tablespoon ricotta on top of each piece of focaccia.
- Top ricotta with one piece of grilled mango.
- Drizzle with balsamic reduction.
- Sprinkle with basil.
- Finish with salt and pepper.
Chef's Notes
- This is a great appetizer/dish to pass instead of bringing caprese skewers to yet another picnic.
- You don’t have to make your own focaccia—this will be good on any bread. But it will be much better if you make it yourself. 😊
- Feeling lazy? Just put the components on a platter and let people build their own.
Additional Thoughts
- Don’t forget about dessert. Always serve dessert.
- It doesn’t matter if you are eating fish or chicken, dry red wine is still better than white.
Lauren Kuhn
Culinary Center Manager
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