Key to Times Style

Butter: unsalted (sweet), unless otherwise indicated.

Eggs: large, unless otherwise indicated.

Milk: whole, unless otherwise indicated.

Oil: vegetable oil (canola, peanut, safflower, etc.), unless otherwise indicated.

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Glossary

Rennet: An enzyme extract that is used to curdle milk for making cheese. It is usually derived from the stomachs of very young animals (it is the same enzyme they use to digest the milk). Acid also can be used to curdle milk, though it gives a different flavor and texture.

Ricotta Salata: A firm cheese made from fresh sheep’s milk ricotta that has been salted, pressed and aged three months.

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Lessons

Cutting Butter into Flour: The first step in making most pastries. This can be done by hand, by rubbing together flour and cubes of butter. Or it can be done with a pastry blender or a food processor. How thoroughly the butter is cut into the flour determines how flaky or how short the resulting pastry will be. If the butter is cut in very thoroughly (generally described as looking like cornmeal), the pastry will be very short and tender. If larger lumps of butter are left (described as pebbly), the pastry will be flakier.

Deep-frying: Oil for deep-frying most things doesn’t need to be very deep at all. An inch of oil in a straight-sided frying pan should be enough. To test whether the oil is hot enough, add a cube of bread. If it sizzles immediately and browns within 5 to 10 seconds, the oil is ready.