Yeah, I got a black pot from Scott for my birthday. Black cast iron, not cast iron enamel like the sophisticated Orange Pot. The perfect black pot for cooking up some special bread. There is another wonderful bread recipe that does not require kneading, only a black pot. This black pot is a Lodge brand, cast iron pot. Good for lots of things, but going to be put to best use with making bread. My sister Caroline, shared this recipe with my boss Rose, who shared with me. I like that it can be adapted to many variations. The basic recipe goes like this: 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon yeast, 1 1/2 cups water. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12-18 hours. Overnight works great. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees, place a cast iron pot with a lid, in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. I added about 1/2 cup cracked wheat to the mixture, and I know Caroline adds dried fruit too. It makes a really nice loaf, chewy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside. Really great bread. I served the bread with a nice tomato, mushroom and onion beef stew, over mashed potatoes and a side of vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots). That's another post. So hats off to Caroline and Rose for sharing and Scott for giving me a really cool black pot.
No comments:
Post a Comment