2019 bring it on

December 31, 2018 • Nancy Wolfson-Moche
Tonight we migrate into 2019. This dish expresses what I wish for all of us in the year to come. A whole, unbroken, light-filled foundation, in the bread. Sweetness, in the onions. Filtering and facilitation, in the fungi. Spiciness, in the greens. Eat this with patience, awareness, intention and gratitude, and you will embody these qualities. Bring it on.

INgredients to serve  6-8

For the dough 3 ½ to 4 cups OO flour (you can use bread flour or a gluten-free mix), plus more for rolling (00 flour renders a crisper crust; if not available use bread flour for a chewier crust) | 1 envelope dry yeast| 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt |1 1/2 cups water, 110° F|2 tablespoons olive oil, plus about 4 Tablespoons extra For the topping 2 medium-sized red onions| 3 8-ounce packages of shitake or cremini mushrooms |2 teaspoons tamari sauce| 1 bunch red-veined sorrel  (I especially like the hydroponically grown), washed and dried | 1/2 cup fresh pea shoots, washed

Process

Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a medium-large glass or ceramic bowl. Gradually add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together into a ball. If dough feels dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball. Grease a large glass or ceramic bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Then add the dough, cover the bowl with a damp white cotton towel (I use flour sack towels) and place the bowl in a warm area to rise. After about one hour it should have doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Use a rolling pin to flatten each dough ball into an 8-inch paper-thin round. On a medium flame, heat a large cast-iron or stainless steel skillet for about 30 seconds. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and let the oil heat up for about one minute.  Carefully place one of the  rolled-out rounds of dough into the pan. Within a minute the surface of the dough will begin to pucker. When the bread is golden brown in spots, flip it over so the other side can cook. Repeat this with each dough round.  Set them aside. . Slice the onions into half-moons and set aside. Slice the mushrooms into thin crescent shapes too, and set aside. Heat another medium-sized cast iron or stainless steel skillet. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat it. Now add the sliced onions. When they become translucent and begin to sweat, add a pinch of sea salt. Cook the onions for another 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan. Sauté the mushrooms and onions together for about 7 minutes, until they are integrated, soft and browned. Add the tamari sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. Spoon about a quarter cup of the mixture on top of each of the round breads. Garnish each one with a few red-veined sorrel leaves and some pea shoots. Serve warm.
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Icing on the Cake: Testimonials

Dear Ms. Nancy, Thank you for teaching me how to cook. A lot of my skills have developed through cooking. Cooking has also given me a bigger appetite for more foods. I can also make my own cook book! Some of my favorite foods that I've cooked with you are butter, date candys, tzatziki, pickles and potato leek soup. Thanks for giving me my cooking skills. Love, R. (8 years old)

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