MY MOTHER’S PEASANT BREAD: THE BEST EASIEST BREAD YOU WILL EVER MAKE

INGRëDIëNTS

• 4 cups (512 g | 1 lb. 2 oz) unblëachëd all-purposë flour
• 2 tëaspoons koshër salt
• 2 cups lukëwarm watër (madë by mixing 1 1/2 cups cold watër with 1/2 cup boiling watër)
• 2 tëaspoons sugar
• 2 tëaspoons instant or activë-dry yëast
• room tëmpëraturë buttër, about 2 tablëspoons

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mixing thë dough: If you arë using instant yëast: In a largë mixing bowl, whisk togëthër thë flour, salt, sugar, and instant yëast. Add thë watër. Mix until thë flour is absorbëd. If you arë using activë-dry yëast: In a small mixing bowl, dissolvë thë sugar into thë watër. Sprinklë thë yëast ovër top. Thërë is no nëëd to stir it up. Lët it stand for about 10 to 15 minutës or until thë mixturë is foamy and/or bubbling just a bit — this stëp will ënsurë that thë yëast is activë. Mëanwhilë, in a largë bowl, whisk togëthër thë flour and salt. Whën thë yëast-watër-sugar mixturë is foamy, stir it up, and add it to thë flour bowl. Mix until thë flour is absorbëd.
2. Covër bowl with a tëa towël or plastic wrap and sët asidë in a warm spot to risë for at lëast an hour. (In thë wintër or if you arë lëtting thë brëad risë in a cool placë, it might takë as long as two hours to risë.) This is how to crëatë a slightly warm spot for your brëad to risë in: Turn thë ovën on at any tëmpëraturë (350ºF or so) for onë minutë, thën turn it off. Notë: Do not allow thë ovën to gët up to 300ºF, for ëxamplë, and thën hëat at that sëtting for 1 minutë — this will bë too hot. Just lët thë ovën prëhëat for a total of 1 minutë — it likëly won’t gët abovë 100ºF. Thë goal is to just crëatë a slightly warm ënvironmënt for thë brëad.
3. Prëhëat thë ovën to 425ºF. Grëasë two ovën-safë bowls (such as thë 1-qt pyrëx bowls I mëntionëd abovë) with about a tablëspoon of buttër ëach. Using two forks, punch down your dough, scraping it from thë sidës of thë bowl, which it will bë clinging to. As you scrapë it down try to turn thë dough up onto itsëlf if that makës sënsë. You want to loosën thë dough ëntirëly from thë sidës of thë bowl, and you want to makë surë you’vë punchëd it down. Thën, takë your two forks and dividë thë dough into two ëqual portions — ëyë thë cëntër of thë mass of dough, and starting from thë cëntër and working out, pull thë dough apart with thë two forks. Thën scoop up ëach half and placë into your prëparëd bowls. This part can bë a littlë mëssy — thë dough is vëry wët and will slip all ovër thë placë. Using small forks or forks with short tinës makës this ëasiër — my small salad forks work bëst; my dinnër forks makë it hardër. It’s bëst to scoop it up fast and plop it in thë bowl in onë fëll swoop.
4. .................
5. ............................
6. ......................................

Full Recipe >> alexandracooks.com

Tweet