Archive for the ‘Bread’ Category
Ciabatta Bread with a bread machine……
I’m into making bread…but using my bread machine. I’m trying to make all different kinds of breads. I have perfected my plain rolls and my french bread recipes.
I decided to try Ciabatta bread. The first recipe I tried is considered for beginners…..next, I will have to try the more complicated version….supposedly using sour dough or “sponge”…..I will keep you posted on the outcomes.
The recipe was incredibly easy…it did say that the dough will be incredibly sticky and runny…and it was! The bread turned out flat…I don’t know if that was due to the high humidity that day…or just my baking skills..but it was tasty..and as always, much better when eaten fresh!
Ciabatta Bread – Bread Machine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
Directions
- Place ingredients into the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the Dough cycle, and Start.
- Dough will be quite sticky and wet once cycle is completed, resist the temptation to add more flour. Place dough on a lightly floured board, cover with a large bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Lightly flour or use parchment lined baking sheets. Divide into 2 pieces, and form each into a 3×14 inch oval. Place loaves on prepared sheets, dimple surface, and lightly flour. Cover, and let rise in a draft free place for approximately 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
- Dimple dough for a second time, and then place loaves in the oven, positioned on the middle rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. During baking, spritz loaves with water every 5 to 10 minutes for a crispier crust.
In: Bread, Uncategorized, recipe
Pita Bread…..
I’ve always wanted to make homemade pita bread. So, this weekend, I finally gave it a try. It wasn’t too difficult..it just involved time, like most bread recipes. You had to do a bit of stuff and wait….do a bit of stuff….then wait 3 hours…do a bit of stuff and wait…
My plan was to make homemade pita bread and then homemade hummus. I have a delicious hummus recipe that my aunt gave me…but at the last minute I realized I didn’t have enough chick peas…and I really didn’t feel like going out to the store…so I tried to use what I had..but I ended up adding too much tahini paste…oh well.
But I did think the pita turned out nicely. The first batch..I cooked too long and they are a bit chewy. I think I will freeze some of them and see how they taste after being frozen. We like to use them for little mini pizzas when we need a quick meal.
You had to bake them at 500°, so the entire kitchen got incredibly hot…maybe next time I won’t pick a 94° day to make pita!! Next…I am going to make tortillas……
Pita Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water
Preparation:
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.
Combine flour and salt in large bowl.
Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour yeast water in depression.
Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.
Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.
Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.
Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet.
Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.
Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.
Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.
Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.
Aunt Loretta’s Hummus Recipe
- 1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water
Aunt Loretta’s Hummus Recipe
- 2 cups cooked chick peas
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, mashed
- 1/2 cup tahini paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon
- 2-6 teaspoons water
Add all in food processor and blend til paste. Garnish with paprika and parsley.
For Baba Ganoush - follow same recipe but use eggplant instead of chick peas and no water
Multigrain Bread…
So the other day I went to Whole Foods Market (gotta love that place!) and in the bulk section, I found organic 7 grain cereal. It was only thirty-nine cents a pound! It looked perfect for making multigrain bread.
Of course, I wanted to use my bread machine, so I used the recipe from the bread machine recipe book..I figured I would start with that and see how it turned out….well, I think it turned out really well.
As soon as it came out of the oven, we all wanted a piece, which I think is always a mistake..it seems like those types of bread always have to sit for a bit…at least twenty minutes.
Multigrain Bread (large loaf bread machine recipe)
1 ¼ cups water
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/3 cups white flour
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup 7 grain cereal
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons regular active dry yeast
