Making Bread

So I wanted to kick off this blog by writing about bread. A few years ago, New York Time's food writer Mark Bittman popularized Jim Lahey's no-knead bread. I caught wind of it over a year ago and have been perfecting the technique for my family since then. It's an incredibly easy way to make crusty flavorful bread that requires almost zero effort. My kids love to have it as cinnamon toast the morning after it is made. That with some frozen blueberries picked over the summer and a hard boiled eggs, makes for a great start to the day.

I modified Bittman's original recipe by making it in a loaf pan. In the loaf pan, I had inconsistent rising and overflow problems and so experimented for awhile to correct this. The technique I use today was achieved after I met Steve who blogs at Between Courses. He recommended using a starter to get a more consistent rise. That worked.

I have yet to make a good whole wheat loaf. Steve recommended using wheat germ instead of wheat flour to maintain a good rise, but I haven't been totally satisfied with the results. If anyone has other ideas or success stories, share the wealth!

Still, every week I turn out at least a couple of fabulous loafs. Whenever I have any old leftover bread I make it into fresh breadcrumbs and use it on a casserole or in a crust. I also make fresh garlicky croutons for salad. But more on that later.

Here is my technique for the EASIEST AND TASTIEST BREAD EVER:

4 cups all purpose white flour
4 t salt
1/2 t yeast
Starter (optional)
water

Mix together flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add a cup of starter if using (I'll explain the starter in a minute). Then stir in a cup and a half of water plus a little more or however much it takes to get to a cookie-dough like consistency--moist shaggy and stiff--using a wooden spoon.

Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for about 8-12 hours (I usually go with 11 hours).

I generally either make the dough at 7 a.m. or 8 p.m. so I can finish it either in the morning or the evening. Starting the bread in the morning lends itself to a 9-5 schedule.

Next, butter a loaf pan and butter the plastic wrap on one side. Put a couple handfuls of flour on the dough and scoop it out using your hands and pushing the air out of it. Then quickly and with not too much pressure press it into the loaf pan. It will take up about 3/4 of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit till it just reaches the top of the pan--don't let it get any higher. This may take a half hour to two hours.

When it is close to the edge, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. When it is just level with the top, carefully remove the plastic wrap and gently put the pan in the oven for 25 minutes. Then put foil over the top to keep it from getting too dark and bake an additional 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, take out of the pan and cool on its side. Don't slice for at least a half hour.

Now for the starter. I use Bittman's technique and it is very easy.

STARTER

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 t instant yeast (that comes in the packets)
1 1/2 cups warm water (not too hot)

Mix the ingredients together in a medium bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for three days, stirring every 8 to 12 hours.

Stir well and then use a cup of your starter in your bread or put it in the refrigerator. Whenever you use a cup of the starter, add another cup of flour and enough water to the remaining starter to get the consistency of pancake batter (if it's off, just add more flour or water) and let the starter sit out for 6-12 hours. Small bubbles will form. Then cover it and stick it back in the fridge till the next time you want to make bread. You will want to use it every few weeks so it won't go bad. If you aren't making bread, just give a cup to a friend or dump a cup down the sink, feed and grow the starter as explained above, and put it back in the refrigerator.

This whole process is essentially growing wild yeast and then feeding it occasionally to keep it alive--not an exact science and something that doesn't require exact timing or measurement. When you put it in the refrigerator you slow the process way down. When you take it out, the process speeds up. If it goes bad, it will turn pink and should be tossed. Otherwise it has a tangy smell with sort of a greyish hue to the liquid that turns to a creamy color when stirred.

You can also use this starter in any other yeasted breads you are making or to make sourdough pancakes, etc. It seems that store-bought dry yeast isn't totally consistent, so having the starter on-hand ensures a consistent rise and alleviates frustration.

And that's it. Very simple and easy to maintain.