Westlake Brother and Sister Win First Place at County Fair

A pair of siblings who graduated from Westlake High School, each took home blue ribbons at the Cuyahoga County Fair last week. 

Maggie Costaras, 25, of Westlake won the blue ribbon in the Baked Goods category for her Hot Pretzels in the Cuyahoga County Fair’s Best Baking Contest this year. She is a 2006 graduate of Westlake High School.

She perfected this pretzel recipe over the past couple years. 

Andry Costaras, Maggie’s 23-year-old brother and a 2008 Westlake High graduate, won the Dessert Pizza category in the Best Baking Contest for his S’more Nutella Dessert Pizza. This recipe came about after some trial and error and kitchen creativity after a few recipes he tried were unsuccessful. 

Andy is a graduate student at Chatham University in Pittsburg, studying to become a physical therapist while Maggie is the Assistant Probation Officer for Judge Locke Graves at the Elyria Municipal Court. 

Both were encouraged to enter the fair by their mother who also taught them how to bake and cook. 

Asked what it was like to win, Andrew said, "Exciting. "It was my first year entering, so winning definitely made the experience."

His sister called the experience "surreal."

"When they called my name, I was in shock and didn’t think they really meant to call me," she said. "But now that it’s sunk in, I’m really happy, and kind-of sad that I can’t enter next year."

Andy likes both pizza and Nutella. "I thought, why not put them together," he said. "And the result was awesome." His sister is a fan of hot pretzels and wanted to make the mall and fair staple at home. 

"I began experimenting at home a lot until I found a combination of flavors that I liked best," she said. The recipes are below.

Fleischmann’s Yeast – Best Baking Contest

Maggie Costaras of Westlake, 1st Place, 2013 Cuyahoga County Fair

Hot Pretzels

1 1/2 cups milk

1 package Fleischmann’s Yeast

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar plus a pinch or two (2) more

8 tablespoons butter, melted and divided

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups bread flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking soda

2 cups hot water

Coarse sea salt, to taste

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk until lukewarm, about 110 degrees F.
2. Add the package of Fleischmann’s Yeast to the heated milk, and let active for about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar and 4 tablespoons of butter to the yeast mixture.
4. In the mixer’s bowl, combine the salt, bread flour and the all-purpose flour.
5. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a ball is formed.
6. Allow the mixer, using a dough hook, to knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Put dough ball into a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
8. After the dough has risen, turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide the dough into desired portion sizes.
9. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
10. Shape each portion of dough into desired pretzel-shapes.
11. Dissolve the baking soda in a bowl of the hot water, and then oil the baking sheets.
12. Dip each pretzel-shape in the baking soda-water mixture, and then place on the baking sheets.
13. Sprinkle the coarse salt over the pretzels and put baking sheets in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Be sure to rotate the pans 180 degrees halfway through the baking time.
14. While the pretzels are baking, melt the last 4 tablespoons of butter and then stir in a pinch or 2 of the confectioners’ sugar to the melted butter.
15. When the pretzels come out of the oven, use a pastry brush to brush the butter mixture over each pretzel.

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour; Bake Time: 10 minutes.

Fleischmann’s Yeast – Best Baking Contest

Andy Costaras of Westlake, Best Dessert Pizza, 2013 Cuyahoga County Fair

S’more Nutella Dessert Pizza

Pizza Crust:

1 package Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust Yeast

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup warm water, divided (105 to 115 degrees F)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing

S’more Nutella Topping:

Nutella

Mini marshmallows

Graham crackers, crushed

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the Fleischmann’s pizza crust yeast and honey in 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit until yeast “grows,” not more than 5 minutes.
2. In the mixer, with a dough hook, combine the flour and salt.
3. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of warm water and mix on low speed until the mixture forms a ball and comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook.
4. Continue to mix the dough in the mixer in order to knead it, about 2 to 3 minutes. The dough should be smooth and firm.
5. Place dough in a bowl and cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled.)
6. Divide the dough into 2 balls, about 12 ounces each.
7. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball to facilitate the second rising. Repeat 4 or 5 times.
8. Again, cover the dough with the damp towel and let rest for 1 more hour. After the second rising, the balls can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days. When using the dough another day, be sure to bring the cold dough to room temperature before using.
9. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Flatten the dough to the desired shape.
10. Place the dough on cookie sheet and using a fork, prick the center of the dough.
11. Bake for 8 minutes in a 400 degree F oven.
12. Spread a layer of Nutella on top of the cooked pizza dough.
13. Place miniature marshmallows on top of the Nutella.
14. Sprinkle thinly crushed graham crackers on top of the marshmallows.
15. Bake for 2 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly toasted in a 400 degree F oven.

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Inactive Prep Time: 3 hours; Bake Time: 10 minutes.