EASY home-made bread

[GMJager]

3 cups warm water
1 1/2 tbs yeast
1 1/2 tbs COARSE salt (regular salt will make the bread come out super salty)
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flower (not self-rising)
OPTIONAL: 1 tbs rosemary

- Mix the first three ingredients, then add the 6 1/2 cups of flower all at once... no need to knead... just spoon mix it.
- Cover container loosely and allow to rise at room temp for a few hours (minimum of 2).
- Refrigerate dough for a few hours (colder dough tends to be less sticky)
- Cut a hunk of dough from the batch (about the size of a grapefruit), throw some flower on it and 'gluten cloak' it. Prolly the most difficult part... basically you're just stretching the surface of the dough from the sides to the bottom (the bottom will look like a bunch of bunched ends).
- Place the formed ball of dough on a bed of cornmeal on a baking sheet (keeps it from sticking to the pan). Let it sit there for ~40 minutes (more rising time).
- Place an empty dish (that can hold water) in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450.
- Slash the top of the bread dough.
- After a 20ish minute preheat put the baking sheet in the oven and QUICKLY put about 1 cup of cold water in the dish in the bottom of the oven (shut the door quickly)... basically gives that nice crispy shell to the dough and keeps it from drying out.
- Bake for about 30 minutes (varies with the size of dough you used)

If you dont want to use all of the dough at once... you can store it over a week... but the longer it sits... the less you'll like it.

Great just as a loaf of bread, or as a bread bowl for soups!

[Mark]

Ill have to try this out. I love making home made bread. I have my great grandmothers recipe for Portuguese Sweet Bread that ill usually make once or twice a year as it makes around 15 loafs.

[jam]

I do all the same except for the salt and water i use a toothpick if it comes out clean the bread is ready sounds good

[Jimmie the Mum]

Thanks for sharing..

[Medic443stl]

Hmm might have to try this. Thanks !

[CigarJohn]

I love some butter bread or bread with some olive oil

[jsnake]

There is nothing better then homemade bread. Going to try it. Thanks

[Mark]

Guys,

I have to say, this is the easiest recipe ever. I make this recipe every Sunday to go with Sunday dinner, it makes a wonderful bread that goes with any meal.

The only thing I have changed is that I add a large pinch of sugar to the dough mixture and that I let it rise twice, punching it down after it has risen the first time. This makes for a slightly sweeter, lighter bread.

[Jimmie the Mum]

Guess I need to put this on my list.

[Clarinetist]

Casey and I are gonna try it this week, we will post a pic of how it goes. Hope all is well buddy.