
Rosemary Focaccia
Mar 19, 2015I’ve been craving last week’s sweet anise rolls since posting it on the community cookbook. I decided to take the craving as inspiration and turn it into a soft chewy herb laden focaccia. If you are not a fan of rosemary feel free to substitute your favorite herb or olives or even spike it up with a hit of chili flakes. Until next week, feast well! -Chef Bart Read More

Caesar Salad Pizza
Feb 06, 2015Gotta give credit to my daughter and her affinity for Caesar salad for this recipe. Credit also goes to my son for grabbing the camera and documenting it for all to see. I would never claim credit for inviting such a combination but it certainly was a great reminder of a quick down and easy topping for a flavorful family favorite. Until next week, feast well. – Chef Bart Read More

Damascene pizzas
Sep 07, 2014These pizzas from Damascus are not regionally known as pizzas. In essence, they are nothing but pizzas; they are even very similar to the Neapolitan pizza having the thin dough, and cook exactly like it in a minute or so in a WFO. However, they are not (regionally) known as pizzas but are named individually. This is a picture of the pizzas homemade by me and my wife today. Read More

Roasted Onion and Pineapple Salad
Oct 24, 2013As any Hawaiian pizza lover knows, pineapple is delicious when paired with salty, savory ingredients. This warm salad is a lighter, bread-less take on that idea. Read More

Roasted Stone Fruit With Oat Streusel
Aug 15, 2013I can’t speak for the rest of the country, but this summer of 2013 is an amazing season for fruit. It started with the strawberries and cherries in the early part of the season, and it has continued on with the myriad varieties of stone fruit now available from local farmers. White and yellow peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums – they’re all unbelievably sweet and juicy. Use this recipe to take... Read More

Corn Tartine With Chevre and Rocket
Jul 22, 2013Hurray! Fresh local corn is here for the season. Let’s celebrate with some easy, delicious corn tartines. Tartine is just a fancy word for a piece of bread with a bunch of stuff on it, aka an open-faced sandwich. It is a great oven application for a quick meal, so take this recipe as a guide and let your imagination go. Read More

Roast chicken with lemon and thyme
Jun 28, 2013Roast chicken with lemon and thyme is a simple but delightful food that you can make in any season in your wood fired pizza oven. A few ingredients can still make a big taste! Read More

Seared Rainbow Trout With Crispy Rice Cake, Pickled Peppers and Roasted Lettuce
May 13, 2013I love the delicate flavor and crispy skin of rainbow trout. Here in Chicago we are lucky enough to have an amazing sustainable trout farm, Rushing Waters, just a couple hours away, across the border in Wisconsin. If you’re not so lucky, substitute any freshwater fish you can get your hands on – or order from Rushing Waters online; they will ship to you overnight. Read More

Braised Chicken With Bacon, Fingerling Potatoes and Dried Fruit
Apr 22, 2013This dish was inspired by a random flip through one of the many cookbooks that line a high shelf just outside the kitchen at the restaurant where I work. The (old) book was a survey of regional French cooking, and one of the recipes I stumbled upon was for a dish that combined potatoes, bacon and dried fruit into a kind of gratin or casserole. I decided to adapt those... Read More