The onset of the warmer weather has had me dreaming of an olive bread. We’ve picnicked in some beautiful places and often our lunch included some kind of olives to go along with bread, as well as a smattering of charcuterie goodies and a bottle of wine. For me, that’s as good of a meal as one at a fancy restaurant! Sometimes, the setting makes the meal. While I can’t transport you to a Tuscan hillside, this week’s bread comes pretty close. Kalamata olives marinated with fresh thyme, lemon zest, garlic, red pepper flakes (just a few!), and olive oil all play together in a sigh-inducing sourdough. The flavor benefits from an overnight levain, long fermentation, and then a cold overnight rest in the fridge. My new bread oven bakes these loaves to a mahogany-colored crust, leaving the interior soft and delicious. Pick up some proscuitto, a good cheese, and a bottle of wine and you’ll have yourself the best meal in town.
I’ll be baking on Thursday, May 11th and Friday, May 12th. After this week, I’ll be taking a break while we do some camping as a family. I’ll be back to baking in June! Please place your orders by Monday, May 8th.
This week’s bread officially has a French name I can’t pronounce, so I’ve taken to calling them ‘rustic baguettes.’ Long and narrow like a baguette, it’s an incredibly delicious bread. My husband enjoys all bread, but this one is the one he most often requests! It is made with yeast; I haven’t yet come up with a sourdough version that I like as well as this one (but I’ll keep trying!) The flavor is outstanding – almost sweet, though there is no sugar in the recipe. The cold fermentation in the refrigerator really brings out the flavor of the wheat. We like to slice these horizontally and make open-faced sandwiches, or garlic bread, or simply smear with butter to enjoy alongside the main course of dinner. I especially like them in the summer with fresh mozzarella and garden tomato slices! Rustic baguettes are about 16” long, and if I’m serving them as a side for my family of 6 we usually eat 2-3. They freeze very well and thaw quickly due to their thinner size.
This week’s bread is a fan favorite: asiago sourdough. I start with my house sourdough and fold in asiago cheese, pocketing the bread with savory goodness. I’d probably make this one just for the smell of it baking, but the flavor holds its own as well. While we might be coming to the end of soup season, a great loaf of crusty (and cheesy!) bread is also the perfect side for a big garden salad. Asiago sourdough isn’t one that I’d necessarily top with jam, but if you’re looking for the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich, this is hard to beat. I also like it on the side of a savory breakfast, or toasted and rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil for an easy garlic bread. However you choose to enjoy it, this bread is one with which you’ll want to stock your freezer!
Challah is a bread that is as much fun to make as it is to eat. The dough lends itself to more intricate shaping, and for this week I’ll braid it into a round. When I’ve taught my children how to do this, we practice with play dough! This challah is mildly sweet and naturally leavened. You won’t find a tangy sourdough flavor, though – just buttery and complex! It’s mild enough to accompany a savory meal, and sweet enough to pair with jam. It makes a gorgeous centerpiece for a dinner party and freezes well to save for another day. I use whey from homemade yogurt as part of the liquid, adding to the depth of flavor. Challah is more dense than fluffy, yet very tender. We’ve enjoyed it fresh and toasted; my first slice is usually without butter. That’s my bread test: if I can enjoy a piece of bread without anything on it, it passes the test. This one passes with flying colors!
As we move into next week, Holy Week for Christians, I wanted to make something traditional. Hot cross buns have been a family favorite for many years, and this year I decided to make them with natural leavening instead of yeast. This sourdough version is tender and yet substantial. The dough, enriched with butter and just a little sugar, is studded with raisins and dried cranberries, then glazed with a simple syrup after baking. The top is adorned with a cross made of dough. They’re best eaten warm and do freeze them if you’re planning to save them for Easter Sunday.