The great cuisines of the world all incorporate doughs -leavened or unavened- that are finely pulled into shapes that cradle foods, or wrapped like an embrace around tasty ingredients. From pizza and calzone to fluffy Indian naan or crisp papadums, from classic Middle Eastern breads such as matzoh, pita, Egyptian injera, to Mexican tortillas, Venezuelan arepas, Jamaican bammy bread, across the ocean to Scotch bannock, these doughs have nourished people around the world. In this compact, but extensive volume worldwide variations are given in abundance.
From thin crust to deep dish, from whole wheat to gluten free, the basics section offers a variety of basic dough recipes with tips on techniques, equipment and ingredients to make the perfect crust every time. With a nod to pizza as the main staple of so many dough-lovers lives, there are five chapters of pizza recipes, each focusing on a type of pizza: Pizza Basics; Pan Pizzas; Thin Crust Pizzas; Rustic Pizzas and Calzone; International Pizzas. Within these categories, the basic recipe is given and is followed by a list of variations. For example, the classic cheese pizza recipe is given flowing into recipes for variations that will turn the classic into Pepperoni & Cheese Pizza, Salami & Cheese Pizza, Pancetta & Cheese Pizza, Parma Ham & Cheese Pizza. The Neapolitan Pizza Margherita has several varieties, one for gluten-free pizza crust, for the classic with anchovies or artichoke hearts or olives or chevre.
There are chapters devoted to Fougasse, Foccaccia and European Flatbreads; Indian and African flatbreads; Flatbreads and Hearth Breads of the Middle East; Flatbreads of the Americas; and finally to satisfy our desire fore sweetened foods to follow a meal, Sweet Pizzas and Flatbreads. These follow the same format of theme with many variations and you'll find that you are turning the classic fougasse into Fougasse with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Fougasse with Chili Peppers, Fougasse with Rosemary.
This book is part of a series being published by Sellers Publishing. Each is fully illustrated with well over a hundred photos. Though a compilation of 500 recipes, the books are organized to be compact in size and their uniformity makes an attractive row on the bookshelf. A collection of these books makes a lovely gift for the ardent cook or foodie. Please see our other reviews:
Please see our review of the entire series and click into individual books:
the 500 series of cookbooks
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