ARTISAN BREAD

Here is a recipe for Artisan Bread that I e-mailed to my three children, Stephany, Jamie and Alexa. I learned this from Kristine Farley in Sumner, Washington. Her blog is the Herbal Momma, and she shares wonderful techniques for preparing and preserving food from "scratch". Since we are unable to buy this type of bread here in South Dakota, it is especially appreciated by all who partake. I made seven loaves for my birthday dinner two days ago, and all that was left was 1/2 loaf. We will be taking more to the Super Bowl party tomorrow.

Refrigerator Artisan Bread Makes 8 1 pound loaves Preheat oven to 450 degrees

This recipe is adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons salt

3 packages Red Star Yeast

6 cups warm (NOT HOT) water

13 cups whole wheat flour ( unbleached white flour will work with this recipe too)

1. Add yeast and salt to water in (9 to 10 quart) large plastic container with lid. Mix.

2. Add all 13 cups of flour.

3. With a wooden spoon mix thoroughly. No kneading is necessary.

4. Allow to rise at room temperature for 3 to 5 hours.

5. Prepare pan or pizza peel by sprinkling generously with corn meal.

6. Sprinkle counter with flour. (I use white flour for this part).

7. Take about 1-pound piece of dough (grapefruit size) It's important to make correct size so it gets done. Then cut off with knife.

8. Gently add just enough flour so the dough won't stick to your hands.

9. Shape dough into desired shape.

10. *As your shaping the loaf, knead in your choice of the fillings listed below, or let each family member choose his or own favorite fillings for individual loaves.

11. Place the dough onto coarsely ground corn meal on prepared pan or pizza peel.

13. Allow to rest and rise about 20 minutes at room temperature.

14. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven. (Leave room for a rack below to hold water.)

15. Preheat oven to 450 degrees with baking stone, if desired.This will take about 20 minutes. (I greased my stone with Criscoe).

16. Dust loaf with additional flour, if desired or brush with glaze and top with salt or seeds.

17. Slash 1/4 inch deep in the desired way using a serrated knife, just before going in the oven. A diagonal cut on top is good.

18. Place onto stone or pan..

19. Just before putting the stone with loaves in oven, Put a pan of warm water in the bottom rack of the oven. This is the key to successful artisan bread making. It creates steam which makes the outside of the loaf crunchy and the inside soft and chewy.

20. Quickly close the oven door and bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and firm. I baked several loaves at a time and baked a little longer until crusts were golden brown.

21. Store the remaining dough in the covered container in the refrigerator and use over the next two weeks.

22. Don't clean the container in between batches, (per Herbal Mama). Just scrape down sides and add new.

Variations and Options:

As your shaping loaf, knead in any of the following, separately or in combinations;

pesto, coarsely chopped or whole olives, cheese, nuts, freshly chopped herbs,

raisins, dried tomatoes, seeds, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, dried cranberries, etc.

Shape into a variety of ways; baguette, rounds, oblongs, rolls, pizza, calazone, focaccia, etc.

I used Costco's Napa Valley Bistro, Italian Olive Antipasto, marinated with fresh garlic, herbs and Napa Valley Chardonnay. Lexi loves the Pesto loaves. That's why it's cool to let everyone create their own masterpiece.

I can send you another page of options for this dough if you would like it.

Hope you try this and like it.

It is sent to you with love from,

Your Mother,

Mary Cat.