Peasant Bread

[Hengy]

Hello all...

Thought I would share a bread recipe that was given to me by my mother-in-law. It is a wonderful recepie RIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN. It is also great for French Toast the second day for breakfast and PB&J Sandwiches for lunch... EXCELLENT! The directions look tougher than it actually is to make this easy bread!

2 1/4 cups warm water
Teaspoon of sugar
2 packets active dry yeast
1 tbsp salt
1-2 tbsp butter (melted)
4-6 cups flour (unsifted all purpose)
Vegetable oil (for coating bowl in rising)

Easy directions:
- Add warm (100 degree) water to bowl. Stir in sugar to dissolve
- Add yeast from packets directly on top.
- Allow bowl to sit for 10 minutes or so to get the yeast started.
- Add salt and melted butter to yeast water.
- Using either a wooden spoon or a mixer with dough hook, slowly add
flour one cup at a time until dough has good texture, but NOT TOO
STIFF...
- Do not over mix the bread, but knead for a minute or two. You don't
want too much gluten development (sticky dough!)...
- Remove dough from bowl and place a tbsp or so of oil on the bottom of
bowl.
- Place dough back in bowl and "roll around" to coat doughball and bowl...
- Cover bowl and allow dough to sit for 45 minutes to an hour (until
double in bulk)

- Here is the trick... the more times you punch down the dough and allow
to re-rise, the finer the texture of the bread will be. I only let it rise
once and then divide into loaves because that is the texture I like.
You may like a finer texture to your loaves.
- Once you feel that the dough has risen enough times, divide the ball
into two equal portions.
- Turn each portion onto a floured board and flatten and roll into a rough
loaf.
- Place loaves on a baking sheet. At this point, you can "decorate" the
loaves as you see fit... I cut hash marks along the top of the
loaves...get creative!!!
- Allow to rise again until loaves double in bulk.
- Bake loaves in 450 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until loaves
have an even light brown color and the bottoms are NOT BURNED.

Bread is wonderful when served warm with a roast or something else that needs a good heavy bread to soak up the gravy!!!

Let me know what you think!!

Mike in La Crosse, WI

[Wise Owl]

This really sound like a good recipe.

I would also like to compliment you on the instructions! Very good. Did your mother-in-law give you any other recipies you would like to share with us? I await in anticipation.