Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

stef717: In the original recipe that subscribers can download from the CI website, it gives 3 additional steps for the recipe beyond what is printed here, and they may help you in your pre-baking endeavor. I've copied and pasted them below for you:

3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to ¼ cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave overhanging dough in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Trim overhang to ½ inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute dough or press the tines of a fork against dough to flatten it against rim of pie plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp.

I live in Cleveland right now, down the street from Symon's best restaurant, Lola, and let me tell you--this guy is the real deal. Sometimes I see Food Network chefs and wonder what their food actually tastes like. Michael's is more incredible than you imagine it will be, and I've been lucky enough to eat all some great places and in other cities in my young life. Cleveland is lucky that we can claim his as our own.

Spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, and a crisp simple salad.

Texas sheet cake is an old tradition in my family, and this looks like a delicious rendition. I've been wondering though, does anyone out there have a recipe for a white Texas sheet cake (I think white cake and white icing)? My aunt mentioned it to me the other day, but I'm not sure she has the recipe herself. If anyone has any insights on that I would appreciate it. Obviously I know there are many recipes out there for white cake and for white frosting, but I'm looking specifically for a white version of Texas sheet cake.

Panzanella! It's my favorite way to use up extra bread and tomatoes. For a hot, economical Italian dish, definitely polenta. It's so versatile.

If you have an ice cream maker I would make some strawberry-creme fraiche ice cream/gelato. I had some creme fraiche gelato over the summer in D.C. and it was heaven. Random, I know, since you probably don't have an ice cream maker but for anyone who does, creme fraiche is a fantastic and elegant flavor.

Ina Garten's Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream!

Chicken marsala is a bit cliche maybe but I actually really like Giada de Laurentis' recipe in her Everyday Italian cookbook. I think someone posted it on their blog here:

http://blackcoffeeandbourbon.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/giadas-chicken-marsala/

Mushroom risotto is also awesome!

I made this a couple of nights ago, but because I was really busy I just made the eggplant as instructed (salted it, drained it, breaded and fried it) and put half a jar of spicy tomato basil sauce on the bottom of my casserole dish, the eggplant on top, provolone slices on top of that, and the rest of the jar of sauce. I baked it as instructed for 20 mins., and voila! For a quick weeknight dinner, it was brilliant. The eggplant was crispy and flavorful, I'll make this again and again.

Sourdough bread, lots of it, toasted in the oven if I can wait that long, topped with the best cheese I have on hand and dipped in olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.

I moved last week, but I used to live across the street from this place and I'm sad that it was a big disappointment for me. After all the hype and press, I just didn't enjoy my burger any more than Five Guys or Good Stuff Eatery. And since it's such a hassle usually with the line, no seating to be found inside, cash only, and no fries, I just prefer other burger eateries. People tend to freak out when I say this, and especially like to say that I shouldn't judge a burger by its side dishes, but that was really the final straw for me. The tater tots are gross, and I can't just eat bite after bite after bite of mediocre burger with no fries or decent side to balance it out, and yes, I love burgers!

Thank you for your column, this and your Part I were great reads and you should be commended for doing this.

@ jfitz: Neither grass-fed nor organic are mere marketing ploys, and it is that kind of dismissive attitude that makes those concepts seem like fads that the wealthy got duped into. That, of course, makes the average American feel like this isn't something they should know or care about, when in fact we all should. Please read more about food and its history before making such baseless statements.

I don't mean to get all negative nancy here, but as someone who loves ice cream, gelato, custard, etc., I have to post to say that never once have I thought that my experience was diminished by eating my treats with a more earth-friendly utensil. In fact, after reading this and thinking about it, I completely agree with Alexis Miesen, and I think the biodegradable spoons have a nice mouthfeel to them that is better than plastic, which is what most places traditionally serve. Sorry, but I really don't think the metal spoon adds anything positive to the experience! ...I actually think sometimes it conducts the coldness of the ice-cream too much, to be honest. Maybe washable metal is the most earth-friendly of all, but putting aside the environmental argument, I actually enjoy the experience of eating with the corn-based scoopers. And this coming from the girl who still wishes Coca-Cola was sold exclusively in a glass bottle, go figure. Guess I'm not old-school about everything.