Real Bread
Okay, phase one is done! Here’s another recipe from Chef Michael for natural bread. He leaves it over night for 12- 18 hours to form a natural yeast (he calls it Poolish but another name is Biga from French baking) but I would use 1 cup of my natural yeast after feeding it in lieu of 1 cup each of flour and water:
For 1 normal loaf
- 2 cups of all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour
- ½ cup of any multi-grain mix
- ¼ teaspoon of dry yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt
- 1 5/8 cups of warm water
For traditional baking
1. Whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly. Add the water and stir until a wet dough forms. Continue stirring until the dough incorporates all the loose flour in the bowl, about 60 seconds in total.
2. Cover the bowl with a towel and rest in a warm place for 12 to 18 hours. It will double in size, bubble and long gluten strands will form.
3. Knock the dough down, oil it slightly and form it into a baking pan.
4. Rest the dough a second time. In 2 to 3 hours it will rise again and double in size once more.
5. Bake 45 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven.
For baking in a covered pot
1. Whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly. Add the water and stir until a wet dough forms. Continue stirring until the dough incorporates all the loose flour in the bowl, about 60 seconds in total.
2. Cover the bowl with a towel and rest in a warm place for 12 to 18 hours. It will double in size, bubble and long gluten strands will form.
3. Lightly flour your hands and the work surface then remove the dough from the bowl. Quickly form it into a ball. Thoroughly flour a cotton towel and rest the dough on it. Cover it with another floured cotton towel. You may also rest the dough on a non-stick ‘Silpat’ mat and cover it with just one towel.
4. Rest the dough a second time. In 2 to 3 hours it will rise again and double in size once more
5. A half an hour or so before the dough is ready preheat your oven to 450 degree with a heavy covered pot in it. You may use cast-iron, steel, enamel or ceramic.
6. When the dough has fully risen slide your hand under the towel and quickly invert the delicate dough into the hot pot. Shake the pot a bit to settle it then place the lid on the pot and start baking.
7. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid then remove it and bake for 15 minutes more.
The Fazool spread
- 1 cup of white beans
- 2 cups of water
- ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup of chopped carrots
- ½ cup of chopped onions
- 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
- Soak the beans overnight in several cups of water. Discard any remaining water the next day.
- Place all the ingredients, including the two cups of water, in a thick bottomed sauce pot and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking slowly for about an hour until the water evaporates and the beans are soft. Stir frequently. If the water evaporates and the beans are not soft add a little bit more water and continue cooking.
- Puree until very smooth in a food processor.
