Monday, January 25, 2010

Bread & Boots

I am adding on the recipe for bread to this post for my niece Katie.  This was a fun and fuss free bread to make.  Let me know if you try it.
THE EASIEST BREAD YOU'LL EVER BAKE
Mens Journal February Issue.  By Artisanal baker, Jim Lahey. 
Jim is inspired by the rustic breads of Italy.  He has a book, My Bread, and is founder of New York's Sullivan Street Bakery.  This is his no knead, "oven within an oven" method for baking great fool proof bread.
Step 1
Mix 3 cups bread flour, 1 1//4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp dry yeast, and 1 1/2 cups tepid water for 30 seconds until sticky.  My add 2 additional tbsp water if necessary.  (We did)
Step 2
Cover bowl of dough with a tea towel and let it sit for 12-18 hours.  (We set on top of fridge, as it was a cold day)  The rise is done when the dough is doubled in size and dotted with air bubbles.
Step 3
Scrape the dough onto a floured surface and push it into a ball.  Dust the towel with flour, place the dough on top, and fold the towel over.
Step 4
After 1-2 hours (the dough should hold an indentation when poked), invert dough into a 4-5 quart pot, that has been preheated in a 475 degree oven.  ( We used a Le Creuset dutch oven)
Step 5
Using potholders, carefully place the lid on the pot (removing any rubber parts) and return to the oven.  Bake at 475 for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes more, until a dark brown.  ( We baked for additional 15 min. and that was enough )  Place the loaf on a cooling rack and somehow resist tearing into it until it is fully cooled, about an hour.
Buon Appetito!
Greg saw a recipe in his Mens Journal magazine for an easy way to make bread.  He was so excited to make this together..  We purchased our fresh yeast, and a new bag of bread flour, and set aside Saturday as the big day!!  It had to sit to rest and rise for 18 hours, and then covered for another 2 before baking.  So it was a project for the entire weekend!   It did not disappoint!
 
Here is Chef Gregory, mixing up the dough.  This time he was the head chef, and I was the sous chef.
Sitting on top of the fridge to rise for 18 hours.


After the 1st rise, it was then formed into a ball, and placed on a floured tea towel for another 2 hours.  Then , a heavy cast iron pot or dutch oven was to be preheated in the oven at 475.  The bread goes in the hot dutch oven and then bakes for 30 min. with the lid on, and another 15 min. with lid off.

I was out shopping with Erika for her wedding when the bread had to be baked, so he was on his own for this part.  AND he was watching our 2 1/2 yr. old grandson too.  So considering all of that, he did GREAT!  It came out of the oven looking like a beautiful loaf of artisan bread that you would find in a specialty bakery, or like that wonderful sourdough loaf you can buy in San Francisco!  It sliced up beautifully.  It was a nice firm bread.
 
Most of the loaf was eaten simply by pulling off a piece and enjoying plain.  What was left I toasted with garlic for our spaghetti dinner tonight.  Needless to say, there was not so much as a crumb left!
Next....rosemary flat bread.  And then sourdough......and then........Uh oh, you get the picture.  I am in trouble!!!!
Oops, I almost forgot.  These are my new boots.


Aren't they cute?

14 comments:

Genn said...

Yes they are... the boots. Super cute.

And the bread sounds good. I bet it smelled wonderful.

Katie said...

Well, what is the bread recipe?? Looks so absolutely scrumptious!

Your boots are very cute & a bit sassy! ;)

Debbie said...

I'm impressed by hubby's bread making. It looks wonderous....I am a BIG BIG BIG fan of almost any kind of bread. I could almost smell this, haha. The boots are darling. Wedding is almost here, bet everyone is getting excited.

You asked WHY my daughter and her new hubby had to move so far away? A darn good question I am thinking, haha. But actually it is because almost all of the dairy's here in California are being forced to move on, as it is just soo expensive for feed and such. So many of the kids who went to Ontario Christian came from dairy homes. Both of Melody's best girl friends are dairy girls too, and she knows MANY others pretty well as well. And pretty much the mojority of them have all moved out of California. Some of them moved up a little further north, but have suffered fairly badly in the ecomony struggles. MANY moved thier dairys right on the border of Texas (like my daughters) or somewhat into Texas. They have done REALLY well there financially, but truthfully both my daughter and her husband are not happy with thier surroundings. Too much California in them both and they really are in the country. They have 2 other farms besides the dairy. They are much prettier. They grow mainly corn, and such to feed the cows. Mel would rather live on one of the farms instead of the dairy itself, which maybe they will some day, but for now Mike has to be RIGHT ON THE DAIRY, as he runs it totally and if something goes wrong he is better off right there. They have 3000 cows and LOTS can go wrong. SIGH...A very different way of life.

Pam said...

What a fantastic loaf of bread - I love pulling off chunks and eating them with butter. YUM!

Your new boots are VERY cute!

Maryrose said...

Love the boots...and darn I missed the bread. Greg was eating a piece when I dropped off his hat on Sunday. He offered me some but I had my mom in the car so I had to pass...darn it. It looked wonderful and he had a big slab of paprika infused butter (I think that's what he said) on the bread and it looked delicious. Yummy, and what a fun project.....cooking with the hubster.

Erika Johnson said...

Mom the boots are sooo cute glad you got em!!

Thanks again for dinner last night it was sooo good nothing beats your spagetti & then that bread YUM!

Mani/Pedi's thursday at 4:30 :)

Helen said...

That bread looks fantastic! Greg has an eye for a good recipe! Could use a slice of it tonight with the split pea and ham soup I am going to make - sounds like it is going to be a night to stay in.

Quiltpiecer said...

The bread looks yummy! Came by way of Sweet P Quilting ... read you comment that you live in Corona. Well, so do I ... for the past 13 years! Have been blogging for only a few months ... please stop by to say hello: quiltpiecer.blogspot

Kelly said...

Ohhhhh, that bread look SO good! I can just smell it! And those boots, I love them!!

Erika Johnson said...

MMMM Helen that sounds good too!!

Kristi said...

I love bread, but only if I have butter. I love butter, and bread is the best thing to put it on. Mmmm. Greg is funny! I love that you prepared it together!!

Cute boots! Love them!

Tawny said...

Cute boots!!! I would have liked to see the whole outfit ;)
That bread sounds so yummy! Joe is always asking for homemade bread too! I'll have to try it!

Lauri said...

Yummm. Another good recipe to try! And the boots are so cute. I got a pair a few years ago and didn't think I'd wear them much but I find that I wear them all the time.

deb said...

I LOVE the boots, and that bread, wow, I will have to try it, it looks amazing and I can almost taste it!!!!!!!
I bet you are getting sooooo excited!!!!!!