All rise
The Age
Tuesday August 25, 2009
Experience one of life's most basic pleasures by baking your own bread. THERE is something deeply satisfying about making your own bread. Simply mix flour and water with yeast, then watch the miraculous transformation into a living thing. The act of kneading and shaping produces a dough that is silky, soft and elastic. It's a wonderful, tactile experience.Bread cannot be hurried, you must allow time for the dough to rise. So take a moment, slow down, enjoy, then reap the rewards. Nothing beats the aroma of freshly baked bread hot out of the oven. Even if you've never made your own, you only have to go into a bakery to know what I'm talking about.So here are a few recipes to get you going. If you have an electric mixer with a dough hook, it will speed things up but the great thing about bread is you can use your hands. The focaccia recipe is basic €” a good one to start with. You don't have to worry about visions of perfectly shaped loaves as it's a simple flatbread, meant to be rustic. The grissini are easy to make, too. Great for entertaining. Get the family involved as the kids will enjoy rolling these out. Use the dough as your base and experiment with different flavours.The dill and lemon flatbreads are fabulous for dips, a welcome change from boring biscuits. You can roll them out super-thin with a pasta machine but they also work using a rolling pin.So start baking and you'll reconnect with one of life's most simple pleasures.According to Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible: €œBread is like life €” you can never control it completely. Come to think of it, bread IS life."Maybe there's a lesson in there.Dill and lemon flatbreads with smoked ocean trout dipInspired by Sally Clarke of & Clarke's Bread in London, you can make these flatbreads super-thin with the aid of a pasta machine but a rolling pin will also do the trick. I like them misshapen for a rustic look.INGREDIENTSFlatbread:300g "00" bread flour2 tsp dried yeast4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra forgreasing and brushing2 tbsp chopped dillZest of one lemonSea salt to sprinkleDip:300g hot smoked ocean trout(or substitute smoked trout)1 lemon, zested and juiced2 tbsp crme fraiche1 tbsp chopped dillSalt and pepper to seasonINGREDIENTS400g "00" bread flour2 tsp dried yeast2 tsp salt1 cup warm water3 tbsp olive oil cup pitted black olivesFresh rosemary to sprinkleSea salt to sprinkleMETHOD–Preheat oven to 200C fan-forced.–Place flour and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough attachment. Add oil and mix on low speed. Gradually add 150ml warm water. Continue to knead for five to seven minutes until the dough is smooth.–Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.–Brush baking sheets with oil.–Punch the dough to knock out some of the air, then knead gently by hand, sprinkling with dill and lemon zest to incorporate. Cut into 24 small pieces.–Roll each piece through a floured pasta machine to make thin strips (or use a rolling pin). Place on baking sheets and sprinkle with sea salt.–Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.–To make the smoked trout dip, remove the skin, then flake the trout with a fork, mix in lemon juice and zest, crme fraiche and dill. Season with salt and pepper.Makes 24Marnie's fruit and poppyseed grissiniThese delicious grissini are like mini fruit breads, bursting with luscious fig and dates. Serve as part of a cheese platter or as finger food with a glass of something sparkling.INGREDIENTS500g "00" bread flourPinch sugar1 tbsp instant yeast2 tsp salt cup poppy seeds6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to brush grissini300ml warm water100g fig paste, warmed8 Medjool dates, finely chopped1 tbsp fennel seeds1-2 tsp cinnamonProsciutto slices to serveMETHOD–Preheat oven to 200C fan-forced.–Place flour, sugar, yeast, salt and poppy seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment and mix on low speed. Add olive oil and water and knead for five to seven minutes to form a smooth dough.–Place on an oiled tray and roll out to a rough rectangle shape, about five centimetres thick. Brush with oil and cover with cling film. Allow to rise for about one hour.–Spread warmed fig paste roughlyall over the dough. Sprinkle over dates,fennel seeds and cinnamon. Fold the dough over to enclose.–Cut the dough into three equal pieces. Cut each third into 10 (you will have 30 pieces of dough). Roll out each piece thinly into 20-centimetre finger lengths. Place on baking tray, brush with oil and bake for 15 minutes until golden. Cool on wire racks. Serve with prosciutto.Makes 30Focaccia with olives and rosemaryA simple dough that can also be used for pizza bases. Perfect for beginners. Get adventurous and add your own toppings.METHOD–Preheat oven to 200C fan-forced.–Place flour, yeast and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment and mix on low speed. Gradually add water and olive oil and continue to mix for five to seven minutes until dough is smooth.–Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume, from 30 minutes up to an hour.–Knock back the dough gently with your fist to remove some air. Knead again by hand for a few minutes. Cut the dough in half and place on two baking trays, flatten and shape into ovals. Use your fingers to make indents in the top of the dough, gently press in the olives and scatter over the rosemary.–Allow the dough to rest again for five to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake in oven until golden,about 15 minutes. Eat while warm.Makes 2
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