Over easy: a simple festive brunch is both relaxed and special - Holiday Entertaining

Sunset, Nov, 2003 by Charity Ferreira

Brunch is an ideal meal for informal holiday-season entertaining. The centerpiece of this menu is inspired by the French salad frisee aux lardons, in which crisp greens, soft poached eggs, and bacon mingle deliciously with cracked black pepper. Turning this elegant dish into a thin flatbread pizza makes it a little more casual, substantial, and easy to serve--important considerations for morning entertaining.

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Make the dough the night before, assemble the flatbreads before the guests arrive, and bake them just before you're ready to eat. Serve with ripe pears and fresh dates topped with tangy vanilla-orange yogurt.

Brunch Flatbread with Eggs, Bacon, and Frisee

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours, plus about 45 minutes to rise

NOTES: The dough for these flatbreads can be made the night before serving; if you're not starting it ahead, just skip the chilling in step 2 and proceed to shape dough as directed in step 4. If you're short on time, you can use a 1-pound loaf of frozen bread dough. Thaw at room temperature, then divide and shape as directed in step 4. Purchased dough browns quickly; reduce baking time in step 6 by 5 minutes.

MAKES: 6 to 8 servings

    1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons)
      active dry yeast

      About 1 teaspoon salt

      About 1/4 cup olive oil

3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

    8 ounces thick-cut bacon, chopped

      About 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 1/3 cups shredded parmesan
      or manchego cheese

   12 large eggs

      Pepper

    1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

    3 ounces baby spinach (about 2 cups),
      insed and crisped

    3 ounces frisee lettuce leaves
      (about 2 cups), rinsed and crisped

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (110[degrees]) water. Let stand until yeast is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Gradually stir or, with an electric mixer on low speed, beat in 3 1/2 cups flour until mixture forms a soft dough.

2. If using a dough hook, beat on high speed until dough no longer feels sticky and pulls cleanly from bowl, 5 to 7 minutes. If dough is still sticky, beat in more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

If kneading by hand, scrape dough onto a lightly floured board. Knead until smooth, springy, and no longer sticky, 15 to 20 minutes; add flour as required to prevent sticking. Place dough in an oiled bowl; turn dough over to coat top.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 35 to 45 minutes. Punch dough down, cover, and chill up to 8 hours (see notes).

3. Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir bacon until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings to dress greens, if desired.

4. At least 2 hours before serving, remove dough from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes (see notes). Scrape onto a lightly floured board and press gently to expel air. Divide dough into four pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes. Roll or gently stretch one piece at a time into a 13- by 7-inch oval about 1/16 inch thick. Place each on an oiled and cornmeal-dusted 12- by 15-inch rimless baking sheet; if necessary, stretch dough to reshape.

5. Brush each oval with about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with about 1/3 cup cheese. Arrange a quarter of the cooked bacon evenly over each.

6. Bake flatbreads two at a time in a 450[degrees] oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and crack 3 eggs onto each oval (for firm-cooked eggs, crack eggs onto flatbread 5 minutes into baking). Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

7. Return flatbreads to oven, switching pan positions, and bake until crust is well browned, 5 to 8 minutes longer.

8. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix 1 tablespoon olive oil or reserved bacon drippings and the vinegar. Add spinach and frisee and mix to coat.

9. Slide each flatbread onto a cutting board or plate. Mound dressed greens equally on top. Cut each oval in half lengthwise, then crosswise into eight slices. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 547 cal., 44% (243 cal.) from fat; 25 g protein; 27 g fat (8.5 g sat.); 49 g carbo (2.7 g fiber); 849 mg sodium; 339 mg chol.

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Pears and Dates with Vanilla-Orange Yogurt

PREP TIME: About 30 minutes

NOTES: You can make the vanilla-orange yogurt (step 1) up to 3 days ahead; cover and chill.

MAKES: 6 to 8 servings

  1 pint regular or low-fat plain yogurt

1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise,
    or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  2 tablespoons frozen orange juice
    concentrate

  1 tablespoon honey

  5 ripe Bartlett pears
    (about 2 1/2 lb. total), rinsed

  8 ounces fresh Medjool dates
    (about 10), pitted and chopped

1. Spoon yogurt into a bowl. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into yogurt (reserve pod for other uses). Stir in orange juice concentrate and honey until well blended.

2. Peel and core pears; cut lengthwise into 1-inch-thick slices. Arrange pears and dates in bowls and top each with about 1/4 cup vanilla-orange yogurt.