The picture above shows the olive bread I made a couple of days ago from Richard Bertinet's book 'Dough'. It's simple to make, has a beautiful soft crumb and is quite delicious. I make enough of this to keep us in lunchtime sandwiches all week - it freezes well and tastes just as good out of the freezer as on the day it's made.
Last night I tried another of his recipes. The floury looking loaves above have a good open texture and a dusting of cornmeal gives a really crunchy crust. This bread contains nothing more than flour, yeast, salt and water. The process is like alchemy isn't it? So few ingredients transformed into something fantastic and wholesome.
Maybe it's the onset of cooler weather or the darkening days but I find the lure of a warm kitchen hard to resist at this time of year. Tonight, instead of settling down in front of the TV I made another batch of the olive dough and after the first rest period shaped it into a rosemary and sea salt focaccia. We'll enjoy that tomorrow with spicy pumpkin soup - can't wait!
Bye for now - Linda x
Oh Linda my mouth is watering X:)
ReplyDeleteI may have given up bread but your posts certainly scratch an itch!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how we are all so alike around the world when it comes down to such a simple matter of baking/breaking bread...and experimenting with all of the tastes and textures. It's almost a religion unto itself.
ReplyDeleteYes! That is truer than true. Some things are universal and 'bread love' must certainly me one of them, with soup close behind. There is a double comfort. No...more....a triple threat I guess. It feels so good to make bread, it feels so good to eat bread, and it feels so good to look at bread....oh, and to smell bread too. And to smell bread baking, and to share bread.... endless......
DeleteMagnificent photography - I can taste the bread!!
ReplyDeleteMakes me feel like having another effort at bread making.