Awesome Crusty Bread

 

The other day, my husband made bread.  He never makes bread.  Bread is my thing.  I'm good at it.  I'm really good at it.  When you love to eat something, you get good at making it.  But, like I said, he made bread.  He made it in the dutch oven in the regular oven.  It was crusty and the crumb was nice and filled with holes.  I couldn't stop eating it.  The only problem, it took 14 hours!  Seriously?  Who has that sort of time?

So I decided to make bread in the dutch oven, in the oven and see if mine would turn out also.  I did not have a dough that started with a preferment, so I used more yeast and a little sugar. It came out crusty and beautiful, but the crumb was much tighter.  It was still great.  Absolutely wonderful with a nice cheesy soup.  I think I prefer the other bread for dipping in fondue though.  So if you have the time, make this: http://www.copykat.com/2013/01/13/no-knead-bread/ .

If you don't have 14 hours, make the one I made, which is also good.  Mine does incorporate some whole wheat flour, because the whole grains are so much better for you.  :)


3 cups warm water
1 pkg. quick yeast
1 egg
1/3 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. sugar (optional)

Let these ingredients rest until the yeast starts to bubble and smell yeasty.

Add
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour

mix and stir in

2 teaspoons salt

Add flour until dough pulls from the sides of the mixer (about 4-5) [you can also add oat flour.]

Place bread in a greased bowl and sprinkle with flour.  Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to raise.  Once raised punch down and split in half.  Place on a towel sprinkled with flour to prevent sticking and sprinkle with a little more flour.  Place another towel on top.

While it's raising,  place a  Dutch oven, in the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat the pot for at least 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and uncover it.  Remove the top towel and with your hand under the other towel carefully flip the dough over into the pot. Place the lid back on the pot, and place into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pot lid and bake an additional 10 to 20 minutes, until the bread is brown and makes a hollow sound when tapped.

You do not need to grease the dutch oven.  Heating the dutch oven ahead of time will prevent sticking.  :)