Hello Beautifully Made readers! As we have been studying Ruth I have a special treat for you today for all your hard work! We have been learning about barley and wheat and the threshing floor, so what would better go along with that than an easy homemade bread recipe? Leesa Mead from Save a Skillet is guest blogging today, you're gonna love her! When you are done reading today's blog, hop over and subscribe to her's, it's seriously one of my favorite blogs!
Peasant
Bread
But you,
O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
Psalm 3:3
Good morning! My name is Leesa, and I write a blog over at Save a Skillet where we delve into how food and fellowship are intertwined and how to get back to having a love relationship with food.
I am very
excited to write this guest post today for Chrystan and the Beautifully Made
readers. Today I am going to share my
favorite bread recipe – Peasant Bread.
Bread… so simple, yet so daunting to most cooks due to kneading it,
letting it rise and then after all that hard work (and dirty dishes) it turns
out tough or it falls in the middle (the worst!).
But not
today fellow readers, nope today is going to be your best bread experience
ever. You are going to start being known as the Bread Baker (or Mr/Ms BB for
short) in your friend circle. You will
walk in the door and people are going to be in awe of where you learned such a
talent.
Not a fan of
bread you say? Not impressed, huh? I
would go on a limb and say everyone’s favorite food is a good homemade
bread. Don’t believe me… what is your
favorite food? Lasagna? Nothing pairs better with lasagna than
delicious bread to sop of the leftover cheesy sauce. Turkey with Mashed potatoes and gravy? How are you going to clean all the leftover
gravy off your plate without a fresh squishy roll? I feel I have made my point. J
Seriously
though, this bread is pretty awesome. It always turns out perfect AND no
kneading! You mix ingredients, toss them
in the bowl and wa-lah, let it rise and toss it in the oven. Done.
Peasant Bread
Preheat oven
to 425 degrees Fahrenheit Total cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
·
2
cups warm water
·
2
teaspoons active dry yeast
·
3
teaspoons sugar
·
4
cups of all-purpose flour
·
2
teaspoons kosher salt
·
2
tablespoons softened butter - greasing bowls
Directions
Mix water,
sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let this sit for 10 -15 minutes until mixture
is foamy.
In a large
bowl whisk together flour and salt.
Now stir in
the yeast mixture.
Mix until
all flour is absorbed. Dough will be very wet.
Cover bowl
with a tea towel and let rise for 1 hour.
Tip : For a good rising temperature, turn oven on
350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 minute, then turn oven back off. The oven
is now a good temperature for bread to rise.
Take bread
from oven
Preheat oven
to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Grease 2
oven safe 1 liter size bowls with softened butter (Pyrex, Corningware)
Using two
forks punch down dough, scraping from sides.
Dough will still be very wet.
Using two
forks (due to wet dough, this is not easy) divide dough down the middle and
separate into equal portions.
Scoop up
half of dough into one of the greased bowls, and then the other half of dough
into the other greased bowl.
Let the
dough rise again for 20-30 min on countertop.
Bake for 15
minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for an additional
15 minutes.
Remove bread
from oven and turn loaves onto a cooling rack. If the
loaves are not as golden as desired place back into oven for an additional 5
minutes, not in bowls.
Cool for 10
minutes prior to cutting bread.
(Recipe adapted from Alexandra's Kitchen - My mother's
Peasant Bread)
Much Love,
Chrystan & Leesa
PS- The final chapter in Ruth coming next time!!! Can't wait to give you a BIG announcement! Sit tight!!!