World Bread Day

Two years ago Natashya found a great bread on the KAF site. We were going to make it ‘together’ but life got in the way. I had all my ingredients but never got to make it because B had surgery the week before. So I never got to make it – until now. It seemed like the perfect bread for World Bread Day!

This one is a basic bread dough that is filled with lots of goodies – sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, lots of Italian cheese and garlic.

The dough is rolled out into a rectangle, covered with all the goodies, rolled up and then split down the entire length. Oh, My!!

1) Combine the water, sugar, yeast, milk, olive oil, eggs, salt, and flour, and mix and knead ? by hand, stand mixer, or bread machine ? until you’ve made a cohesive, soft dough. If you’re kneading in a stand mixer, it should take 5 to 7 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. In a bread machine (or by hand), it should form a smooth ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and turn to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 45 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, thoroughly drain the sun-dried tomatoes; lay them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Using kitchen shears, finely chop the tomatoes.

3) Line two baking sheets with parchment. Gently deflate the dough and divide it in half. Roll one piece into a 22″ x 8 1/2″ rectangle. Sprinkle on half the garlic, cheese, basil, and tomatoes.

4) Starting with one long edge, roll the dough into a log the long way. Pinch the edges to seal.

5) Place the log seam-side down on a baking sheet. Using kitchen shears, start 1/2″ from one end and cut the log lengthwise down the center about 1″ deep, to within 1/2″ of the other end.

6) Keeping the cut side up, form an “S” shape. Tuck both ends under the center of the “S” to form a “figure 8”; pinch the ends together to seal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.

7) While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

8) Bake the first loaf for 35 to 40 minutes. Tent the loaf with foil after 15 to 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. Bake the remaining loaf.

9) Remove loaves from their pans; cool on racks. Store any leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature.
Yield: 2 loaves.

What you end up with is a swirl of flavor through out the bread.

Little nuggets of tomato and basil. A layer of melty cheese. A hint of garlic. Toasting brings out the flavor even more.

But with every bite I took I kept wanting more – more flavor, more cheese, more tomato, more garlic, more basil. I made 1/2 of the recipe and wish I had kept the filling the same on one loaf of bread. I also think I would have put some roasted garlic IN the dough itself. Oh, and maybe add in some chopped Kalamata olives…..

Please stop by the World Bread Day Website and check out all the beautiful, wonderful breads there. I may run out of pins for them all!!!

This is the 7th World Bread Day and the second one I have been able to participate in. It is so so much fun to find a new bread to try for the occassion and so interesting to see all the different breads people have made.

Louisiana has humidity. Mosquitoes. And lots of history. The Indians were here 10,000 years ago living in the swamps on top of the salt mounds. We have been under French, Spanish, and American Rule.

“Natchitoches was established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis. It is the oldest permanent settlement within the borders of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Natchitoches was founded as a French outpost on the Red River for trade with Spanish-controlled Mexico; French traders settled there as early as 1699. The post was established near a village of Natchitoches Indians, after whom the city was named.”

So why am I telling you all this. Because of the bread I am making – Molasses Bread. It was one of the breads made at Fort St. Jean Baptiste in Natchitoches. The fort was established in 1716 to protect the early settlers from marauding Spanish Soldiers.

It is where St. Denise set up his government, held court, traded, and fought against the invaders. St Denis is important to the family because his daughter married Joachim d’ Ortega who is my Husband’s Great Great Grandfather. (I think I have all of that right!!!)

the bread may be based on a non-yeast bread made by the Chickasaw People who are found further south in Louisiana. It was baked in cast iron dutch ovens in the huge fire places in the hot coals.

Okay enough history. On with the Bread.

Molasses is made from sugar cane or beets in the United States. It was imported from the islands in the early days of the U.S. and most often made into RUM!!! But it was also used in making breads and other baked goods. Sugar was often expensive and honey wasn’t always available. This is a sweet bread.

3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/3 cup corn meal
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup molasses
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp butter
1/2 tsp salt {I added this because the 1st time I made it, it was rather flat tasting}

Mix together the flour and cornmean.
Boil water and add the molasses.
Place all ingredients into a bread maker. {Yes, I know they didn’t have these in 1700, but this is how they make it now!}
After the dough cycle has finished remove and let rise in a clay baking pot until about doubled in size.
Cut a cross on the top.{Which I forgot to do…}
Bake 20/25 minutes at 425 degrees.
{If you choose to continue in the bread machine and it is sticky, add a little flour.}