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| fresh artisan bread |
Artisan bread is generally fewer than 6 ingredients, and relies on a fermentation process to supplement the small amount of yeast that is added. Usually baked in clay ovens, the home baker can make use of a cast iron dutch oven to achieve spectacular results.
The basic recipe couldn't be easier.
artisan bread base
3 cups flour
1 3/4 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 cups water
Blend dry ingredients. Add water. Mix to form a shaggy dough. Cover with plastic wrap (I have a designated plastic bowl with a lid that I use for my bread) and let sit overnight.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. When it's ready, place cast iron dutch oven with lid in the oven, and let it heat for 30 minutes. While it's heating, empty dough onto heavily floured surface. Coat bread with flour by turning it several times, and shape into desired form. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest while your cast iron is heating. After 30 minutes, put dough into dutch oven (I like to line the bottom with parchment, just in case) with the lid in place. Let bake 30 minutes, then remove lid. Bake 15 additional minutes. Bread is done with it sounds hollow with a tap to the bottom of the loaf.
But what about fun ingredients? What about those delicious rosemary scented loaves at the grocery store?
Not a problem.
Just add the fun ingredients. If they're dry ingredients, add them when you're mixing the dry ingredients. If they're wet ingredients (like the sundried tomato and pesto loaf I made last week), mix them into the water before you add it to the flour mixture. With additional wet ingredients, you may need to increase cooking time slightly.
I've done some awesome combinations: lavender and herb, almond and ginger, lemon and rosemary. I love just making plain loaves, too....really makes INCREDIBLE sandwiches. Grilled cheese will never be the same.
Let me know what you create!
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