The Old Boar - Basic Bread

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Basic Bread

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Monday, 11 February 2008

Any old bread is that stuff in the UK that supermarkets force down your throat. Just because it is cooked on the premises, however, does not mean that it is good bread.

Good bread starts with a good flour. It does not, however, involve the use or flour treatments or other rising agents other than yeast. It also does not need anything extra to make it last longer. If it is not eaten all at once, then it ain't great bread!

This recipe is my starter for 10. If I am not doing anything very clever, such as workign with a fermented starter or adding extra ingredients, this is where I start. From this point I can make rolls, loaves, batons, and even pizza without wandering off the list of ingredients. If you don;t plan to get over adventurous, then perfecting this recipe will probably keep you happy all on its own!

1½ilbs (625 grams) Strong Flour
400 ml Tepid Water
1 tsp Salt
1 tbs Olive Oil
1 tbs Active Yeast or
15gm Live Yeast

Add the active yeast or live bakers yeast to the water in a measuring jug and stir to dissolve. Leave for 5 minutes or so.

Combine the flour and salt in a very large bowl and make sure they are mixed well. Create a well in the centre of the flour.

Pour in the yeasted water and add the olive oil. With a fork make sure the oil and water are well mixed. Start mixing in the flour graduly with the fork. Keep mixing in with the fork using slow stirring motions till all the water is mixed in.

Now turn out the flour onto a clean table top. Start to mix in the flour using your fist to drag up dry flour and push it into the wetter flour. Try to avoid sticking your fingers into the dough. Keep drawing into the centre in this fashion till you have a dough ball.

Flour your hands generously and kneed the dough for anything up to 10 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Put aside somewhere warm for 2 to 3 hours till it has doubled in size or more.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knock back - basically just take the air out of it. Cover with the cloth again and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Now you can shape it into anything you like. Let it prove, covered with a cloth, for a good hour.

Bake in a very hot oven - 30 minutes or so for large loaves, less for bagettes, rolls, etc.

Remove from the oven and set aside till completely cool.

Try to avoid flour from supermarkets. A good source of flour in the UK FWP Matthews in Oxfordshire. They sell their own blend of four as well as imported French flours witch are delicious!

Tags: bread flour yeast home baking
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