Artisan Style Bread (an Easy Lesson)

Filed under: Baked Goods, Breads.

Description:
Our Inn offers bread-baking lessons with a
cookbook purchase (House Blessings #3 on this site) and a two-day stay. Artisan bread baking without bread machines or kneading. Choose from three types of bread, including the recipe below.

Ingredients:
Focaccia Bread (makes 4 round loaves)
2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Topping options: garlic salt, black olives,
onions, Asiago or Romano cheese, roasted red
peppers, rosemary, etc.

Directions:
Place warm water in a large bowl.
Add yeast and make a slurry.
Add salt and sugar and stir well.
Mix in 1/4 cup olive oil and mix again.
Add 6 1/2 cups of flour and mix thoroughly with hands or large heavy wooden spoon (I wear sanitary gloves for this job for many reasons). If dough seems dry, add up to 3/4
cup more warm water. Dough should be sticky, not dry. Pat down the top of dough, cover and set in warm place to rise for at least 1 hour or until doubled in size. When the dough has risen, punch down and create 4 equal balls of dough and pat them into greased pie pans. Press the dough to shape of pan, poke fingers into top to make wells for more olive oil--drizzle each loaf with 1-2 Tbls. of oil, add optional toppings, allow to rest in warm place for at least 15 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (about 15-20 minutes). Allow to cool before cutting. Serve warm with a
dish of olive oil. Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. Do not microwave to reheat.

Recipe Summary:
Yield: 4 -1 LB loaves
Prep Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes including rising time
Cook Time: 15-20 mins
Comments:

Recipe Provided By:
The Chaney Manor B&B Inn
Mount Vernon, OH

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Mount Vernon Bed and Breakfast Inns