Yeasted breads can be sweet and rich-tasting with the use of milk, eggs, and sweeteners. This bread is usually made with wheat flour, although you can also use a wide variety of other whole grains to give varying textures and tastes.
6 C lukewarm water (85-105 degrees)
2 T yeast (2 packages)
1/2 - 1/4 C sweetening (honey, molasses or sugar)
2 C dry milk (optional)
1-2 eggs (optional)
7-9 C whole wheat flour (substitute 2 or more cups of unbleached white flour if desired)
In a large mixing bowl, add the water (At the proper temperature, it will feel only slightly warm on your wrist). Sprinkle yeast over water and stir lightly to dissolve. Add sweetening. Add dry milk (if using) and stir to dissolve. If eggs are desired, beat and add at this stage. Mix well and add 1 C of the flour. Let sit 20-30 minutes before continuing.
Add the rest of the flour a cup or so at a time, stirring briskly after each addition. As mixture thickens, begin beating with the spoon, stirring up and down in small strokes and in small circles at the surface of the mixture. Scrape sides of bowl occasionally. After 7-8 cups of flour have been added, the mixture will be quite thick. Mix until the batter is very smooth. Do this at the surface of the dough ducking the spoon under the surface and bringing it up above the surface pulling up the batter in a circular motion. The dough will become stretchier and smoother as you do this and more air will be incorporated.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel to keep off draft. Set in warm (not hot!) place (like the top of stove over pilot light) for about an hour.
2-3 T salt
1/2 C oil (or butter, margarine, etc)
6-8 C flour
2-3 C flour for kneading
Pour on oil and sprinkle in salt. Stir around side of bowl and fold over toward center. Turn bowl toward you with left hand and repeat folding until the oil and salt are incorporated. Add flour a cup at a time, folding it into the dough. After adding 6-8 cups of wheat flour, the dough will become very thick and heavy. Continue folding in flour until dough comes away from (does not stick to) sides and bottom of bowl, sitting up in the bowl in a big lump. The dough is ready for kneading when it can be turned out of bowl in one large piece.
The kneading surface should be at a height on which your hands rest comfortably when you are standing. Keep the surface and your hands floured sufficiently to prevent the dough from sticking. The purpose of kneading is to get the dough well-mixed, of a smooth, even texture, and to further develop the elasticity of the dough. Beginning with the lump of dough, commence kneading. Fold dough in half toward you, far side over near side, so that the two edges are approximately lined up evenly. Place your hands on near side of dough so that the top of your palms (just below fingers) are at the top front of the dough. Push down and forward, centering the pusing through the heels of the hands more and more as the push continues. Relax your fingers at the end of the push. rock forward with your whole body rather than simply pushing with your arms. Apply steady, even pressure, allowing the dough to give way at its own pace. The dough will roll forward with the seam on top, and your hands will end up about 2/3 of the way toward the far side of the dough. Removing your hands, see that the top fold has been joined to the bottom fold where the heels of the hands were pressing. Push firmly, yet gently, so you stretch but do not tear the dough. Turn the dough 1/4 turn and repeat. TURN, FOLD, PUSH. Add flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. You are done kneading when no flour is necessary to prevent sticking. The surface will be smooth and somewhat shiny.
Place the dough in the oiled bread bowl, and then turn it over so all of the dough is covered with oil. Cover the dough with a damp towel and set it in a warm place. Let dough rise 50-60 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.
Start the oven preheating. Punch the dough down by pushing fist into dough, as far as the hand will go, steadily and firmly. Do this maybe 25 or 30 times all over the dough. It will not punch down as small as it was before the rising. Cover and let rise again for 30-40 minutes.
Turn dough onto the board. Shape into ball by folding dough to center all the way around (as in kneading without the pushing). Turn smooth side up, and tuck in dough all the way around.
Cut into four even pieces. You can shape them into balls and place them on a greased cookie sheet, or you can shape them into loaves. (To make loaves roll the dough up into a log shape. With seam on bottom, flatten out top with finger tips. Square off sides and ends. Turn it over and pinch seams together all the way along it. Place loaves in greased loaf pans. Let dough sit for 5-15 minutes before baking.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-70 minutes. Smaller loaves will bake faster. Bread is done when top is shiny golden brown. The loaf will resound with deep hollow thump when tapped with finger.
When completely cooled, bread may be kept in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator.
This recipe comes from The Tassajara Bread Book by Edward Espe Brown, which is one of the best cookbooks I have ever known.
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts(optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, cream the shortening, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, walnuts, baking powder and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture, stirring until well blended.
Spread dough in baking pan and bake 20 to 24 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. (makes about 32 brownies)
1/2 C Chopped Fresh Parsley (optional) ***Note: Do NOT use dried Parsley***
4 C shredded Mozzarella
8 or 10 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1/4 C Parmasean or Romano Cheese (optional)
16 oz. Dry Ziti Pasta
32 oz. Pasta Sauce
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Thaw spinach and squeeze out excess water.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add ziti and boil for 8-10 minutes. Drain. Add pasta sauce.
Combine spinach and cheeses in a bowl.
Layer pasta mixture with cheese mixture in a large casserole dish (pasta mixture first) until you run out of ingredients. You may sprinkle more Mozzarella or Parmasean/Romano cheese over the top before baking, if you desire. Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Cool before serving. Serves about 5.
1 C Warm water
1 t Sugar
2 envelopes Active dry yeast
3 C Sifted all-purpose flour -divided
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 t Salt
Filling
6 oz Shredded Mozzarella
6 oz Shredded Provalone
6 oz low fat Ricotta (**NOTE: using reduced fat keeps the crust from getting too soggy)
8 or 10 oz frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 C Shredded Parmasean or Romano
1 small can minced olives
1 clove minced garlic (optional)
Preheat oven to 375. Combine water and sugar in large bowl; sprinkle with yeast. Let stand 5 minutes to soften. Add 1 1/2 cups flour; beat with until smooth. Stir in oil and salt. Gradually blend in enough of remaining flour with wooden spoon to make moderately stiff dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface, knead until smooth. Return to bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled. While waiting for dough to rise, combine all filling ingredients in a bowl. After rising, punch down dough and divide 3 equal portions. Roll one portion on lightly floured surface to 9-inch circle. Place 1/3 of the filling mixture in the center of the dough circle. Moisten edges of dough with water. Fold over and pinch edges to enclose filling, pressing edges firmly together. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Let rise 30 to 45 minutes or until dough feels light to the touch. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Bake calzones 30 to 35 minutes (until brown). Remove from oven and brush tops with olive oil. Serve warm.