After a big day of blood tests, errands, a good walk, and skating on our pond I figured we needed a good hearty meal. It was too warm for soup (global warming is making itself very present in Alberta this winter), too complicated to make something complicated and the fridge was too bare to enjoy much fresh healthiness. In a pinch, I decided to make my default- Artisan Bread. Where households have been known to grab a box of KD, Sidekicks, PB&J or hot dogs as their 'fast-go-to-cure' a few years ago my friend Lydia and I (shout out fire sister) etched a master recipe in our minds that changed our lives forever.
Bring it to a pot luck, holiday dinners or make it for your family at home (a perfect marriage with a cream of veggie soup!). You’ll wow everyone. I’ve turned this recipe into baguettes, pizza, buns & loaves. Its versatility is so that you can make it with just about any flour; come to think of it I haven’t found a type of flour that hasn't worked. (Gluten free friends- I’m sure it would work with your flour too!) Over the last year I’ve lived in two small rural towns in different parts of this vast country and have been able to buy local flour. It is surprisingly accessible to support your farmers, all you gotta do is look at the location labelled on the bag and make the right choice. I digress. For this particular pizza I mixed Kamut, Barley, Unbleached and Rye flours to finish off some bags and it turned out great! Mamas, the hardest part about this recipe is a) planning ahead (2 hours for it to rise) and b) not telling everyone how simple it is when they’re amazed!
Artisan Bread
3 cups of luke warm water
1.5 Tbsp Yeast
1.5 Tbsp Sea Salt
(I only use 1 Tbsp, as I find the extra too salty)
6.5 cups of flour
Preparation
Pour water in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast and salt. Mix well. Add the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon or bread hook on your mixer. Do not knead! Cover bowl with a towel and let it rise for two hours.
Baking
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (ovens may vary). Grease a baking sheet. Cut your ball of dough into 4 rounds approximately the size of grapefruits. Each ball is one loaf. Mould the doughy loaf to the desired shape, handling as little as possible. If you are making the artisan loaf or baguette use a serrated knife to make a few quarter inch slits along the top of the loaf. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with flour. Place in the oven on the top shelf, and place a pan of water (1cup) directly underneath on the bottom shelf. The water is imperative as it will help it crust. Bake for 30 minutes.
Storage
This bread dough stores extremely well in the fridge for up to two weeks and it’s been said that the closer you use it to the end of the two weeks the better it tastes. Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap or an alternative(cheesecloth, reusable bowl covers, snug but not tight biodegradable wax paper, etc.) and place it in the fridge.
Top it off with some whoopie pies from your local bakery and you’re laughing (not to mention, pleasantly full).
Simple. Healthy. Sustainable. Yummy.
Hey Noelle,
ReplyDeleteI love that you posted something about food. I feel we are always trying to find ways to get our family to eat healthier and of course to find tricks to make the cooking and prep time faster!!! I absolutely love artisan bread. Ironically here, I have the recipe that Lydia gave her mom. Judi had a theme class in the summer on bread and I've been making that artisan bread ever since. The recipe I have makes a lot of dough. You can make 4 pizzas with it, or 4 miches. It really does store nicely in the fridge and the longer you store it the more flavour it'll develop and become sour dough!!!
I am currently baking a daily bread (no pun intended), from one of Michael Smith's cook books. It is quite tasty and easy to make. The best part however? Great for making Luncheon sandwhiches and morning toast.
The only downside to the artisan bread, is that it doesn't toast well at all. It won't brown, it'll just gradually get harder and harder in the toaster - resembling that of cement ;)
But, I'm telling you the Country Bread by M.Smith, takes the cake. I've even got my sister making it for her family. Now aside from its delightful taste, the other atractive elemnet? COST! It costs apx 50cents per loaf to make, so why wouldn't you make you own? Can't beat the price, can't beat the best ingredients, and definitely can't beat the addictive aroma of "bakery" that lingers in your house all day long:)
Oh do share! The thing with the Artisan bread is we always eat the whole loaf when it's warm (Gluttons!). It just isn't as good when it cools and hardens. Don't get me wrong, it's still good when eaten within the same day but not that great the next day. And I totally agree, not for sandwhiches (too heavy). The Artisan bread is great with honey, spreads, cheeses, with soup, etc. and again, best when it's warm. I would love to have the M. Smith recipe for sandwiches & toast. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCountry Bread:
ReplyDelete3 cups flour all purpose or bread four
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup any multi-grain mix, I use oats and wheat germ, use anything as long as it isn't big chuncks of granola.
1/2 heaping tsp of dry active yeast
2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups warm H20
In large bowl whisk all dry ingredients (or in your kitchen aid) Pour in warm H20 and stir with the handle of a wooden spoon until a moist dough forms. Continue stirring vigorously until the dough incorpaorates all the loose flour in the bowl.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 12 - 14 hours. It will double in size, no kneeding!!!!
Dust dough lightly with flour, and OIL hands. With fingertips gather dough from outside edges, knocking it down into a loose ball. Tun out onto lightly floured surface and knead for a few moments until a tight ball forms (takes a few secs). Toss it back into the original bowl and lightly coat with a splash of veg oil (I used Olivie oil).
Gently roll dough into a thick log that fits end to end ina lightly oiled 9- x5 inch pan. Let rest uncovered a second time. In 2 -3 hours it will duble in size once more.
425'F bake 45 min and voila !!!
I mix ingredients together at night and bake it in the morning. The hours of rising can vary aswell, sometimes i have been pressed for time,and it still turned out... plus u don't want your loaf to be too big as it won't fit in the toster!
I absolutely love this bread recipe.
Enjoy :)