Cooking web notes

  Bread making is therapeutic.  If you love the feel of dough and the gentle but firm kneads that work rhythmically it is quite satisfying endeavor.  The best part for me is the aroma that fills the house while baking the bread.  Divine.  Sometime back Sunitha made this bread, but she never took any pictures.  We decided whoever makes it next will take the pictures and share it with you and here you are. This bread is tasty to eat as it is.  Nevertheless, please do try different ways to enjoy this with a dip, soup or sandwich with your favorite meat or vegetables.  Either ways it is sure to tingle your taste buds and make you craving for more.

  Can I tell you how my 2 year old is?  Mine has got his motor skills improved and he is running riot in the house.  Banging vessels, imitating his sister in everything he says, energetic and active pursuing new all the time.  He is a handful.  I don't know how but he randomly gets the keys on the the keyboard and the control panel on the screen never in one place.  The worst was when he silently crept close to the socket and tried to dig in two plastic bands used for securing packets and wires etc.  Of course the sockets are all child protected but his curiosity is something else.  If someone asks me to run the marathon now I will win because I literally fly around the house saving a pan that is flying all over the house or rescuing him from that scientific discovery he is intent on making.
  He escapes all the time with his charming smile that says I know you don't like me doing this but mom I am just discovering the world.  Hope you have some fun today and enjoying yourself even if is just running around the house in your pyjamas with your 2 year old. 




Ingredients :

Bread flour- 4 cups
Yeast- 1 1/2 tsp
Water- 1 1/2 cups
Milk, lukewarm- 2 Tbsp
Basil/Thyme/Rosemary (dried)- 1 Tbsp
Sugar- 1 Tbsp
Salt- 1 tsp
Olive Oil(you could use the same oil from the sun dried tomato bottle)- 1 Tbsp
Sun dried tomato- 1/3 cup



Method:

1.Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
2.Whisk together the flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
3.Add the sun dried tomato, basil and mix again.
4.Pour the milk-yeast mixture and slowly add water and mix well.
5.Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead using your hands. Knead well for 5 minutes.
6.Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 40 minutes.
7..Take out the dough and knead to remove the air formed in.
8.Cover it and keep it back again in the warm place for another 40 minutes.
9.Press and knead the dough again, and divide it into 2. Cover and let it rest on the floured surface for 20 minutes.
10.Shape the dough into 2 rectangles that are about 6 by 8 inches in size.Make sure that the thickness is even in all places.
11.Let it sit covered for the third and last time in the warm place for another 40 minutes.
12.Preheat the oven at 425 degree F.
13.Make scores on the dough using a greased knife or razor blade and bake for 25 minutes or till the top turns a nice brown color and you hear a hollow sound when you knock on the top.
14.Cool on a wire rack.



Notes:

1.If you like the tomato flavor on the higher side you could add 1/2 cup sun dried tomato.
2.This is quite time consuming, like any other yeast bread recipe. So you may want to plan in advance.
3.My scores didn't come out perfect :( I need to practice more :-)

Recipe adapted from :Baking at home, CIA

Contributor: Namitha