This style of sourdough bread is what opened my eyes to the aesthetic and transformative side of bread making. It’s biology, chemistry, engineering, pleasure and adventure all at once. The idea such a seemingly simple ingredient as wheat flour could grow into a culinary masterpiece enthralled me. This recipe uses a wild yeast and lactobacillus culture, recipe here, which gives it a chewy, bursting crust and a cool, moist, subtley tangy crumb.
Tag: bread
The arrival of summer screams for the most classic of all backyard grillable foods – the burger! These buns are quick and easy (25 minutes) to make and keep well in the freezer. Golden brown on the outside, sweet and soft on the inside, these whole grain buns are the perfect base for a classic beef or bean burger, portabello mushroom or grilled chicken breast. top with LTO and your favorite condiments. The dough is quite versatile and can also be shaped into a loaf, hot dog buns, or a filled with custard or cream for a decadent Maritozzi pastry.
the quality and vitality of your culture determines the texture and tang of your sourdough. It’s important to become familiar and comfortable with your starter before making bread as it is very discouraging to have a bread failure due to poor starter.
Crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside, buttermilk biscuits are in many ways similar to croissants, only much quicker and more practical to make at home! The layered texture is the result of repeated stacking and rolling (steps 8 and 9 in the following recipe).
Challah is an ancient bread with sacred origins in the Jewish culture. Enriched with honey or sugar, and often topped with sesame or poppy seeds, this style of bread has become popular worldwide, inside and outside the Jewish community. Whether you’re serving challah with a sprinkling of salt as part of the Sabbath, or whipping up some french toast over the weekend, there are endless ways to prepare it. It makes fantastic sandwiches or little toast points with fancy toppings for a brunch – a great bread to experiment with! You can even add raisins or chocolate and spices for an excellent babka.
This type of roll was popularized by Italian American immigrants, who filled them with Italian-style cured meats, cheese and pickled vegetable antipasti (like giardinera). The original “Italian” sub inspired many variations that are now famous in their own right, like the Philly Cheesesteak (recipe below!). These rolls contain just enough oil and sugar to make the crust thinner and softer than a baguette or other “straight’ dough (dough without sugar or oil), but not as soft as a hamburger bun or sandwich loaf. They freeze well, so go ahead and make big batch to keep on hand for when you need a quick sandwich fix
French bread is the ultimate juxtaposition of refinement and simplicity – just fresh ground flour, water, salt, and yeast. This recipe yields a moist, supple crumb and crackling, caramelized crust. While making bread can challenge home bakers to no end (part of the fun!), the purpose of our “cool control” technique is to eliminate heartbreak and make your baking endeavors easy and delicious.
This is my favorite way to make pita bread. Pure, fresh-milled, Ancient einkorn wheat makes a fine, soft, golden yellow flour. While the dough is a little more tender and sticky than a modern wheat dough, making it a bit harder to handle, it’s incredible flavor and soft texture is well worth the extra effort. Einkorn pitas are a delicious plain, with hummus, yogurt, or as base for gyros and other wrap sandwiches.