Tomato, Garlic, Basil Bread

Wwoooooooooooo I have been lusting after this bread since I last tasted a teeny weeny slice at my friend's house. Her German husband is an avid baker and he has many many accreditations on his sleeve. All awarded by me. Wahahahahaha... but he is good, honestly.

So when I tried that one bite, I was in love and really really had to do this.

As you must know, bread making is the most challenging yet rewarding culinary experience. As you knead your precious minutes away (if you do it manually like me, since my breadmaker died), your heart palpitates. Air of anticipation hangs heavily over you. There is no knowing if the end product is as desired.

Every knead is a knead of faith (quite literally, a 'need' for faith).

It takes 3 painstaking hours from start to end. But when you smell the aroma of freshly baked bread, you will forget all those agonizing hours. How sweet it is.

I used the no-knead method for the dough. So I started this a day before and rested the dough in the fridge overnight. There's no telling if a night in the fridge has made the dough more manageable - as many no-knead bakers claimed, since this is my maiden dough. The dough does feel just a little tad sticky. Easily managed away when you flour your wares generously. Nice and neat.

So after rolling it out flat into a rough rectangle, I spread the oven roasted garlic and tomato all over, and finally the fresh basil leaves. Fold it up into a small bi-fold rectangle and cut 6 pieces from it. Pinch the edges of each base and into the oven they all went. For 30mins at 220degC.

It is all worth it. They are sooooooooooo good. Yum, and yum again!

The loaves are 'crispy on the outside, soft on the inside', very soft indeed.

Son 1 wonders if we can make French loaves (his favorite) or focaccia from this dough. Guess that will be the next bake in line. *wink*

Here's what you'd need:

No Knead Dough (based on The Pioneer Woman's method)

* 1 cup water
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1/4 caster sugar (40gm)

* 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or 1 tsp instant yeast)
* 2 cups plain flour (250gm) + 1/4 cup (30gm)
* 1/4 tsp baking powder (heaping)
* 1/4 tsp baking soda (scant)
* 1/4 tbsp salt (heaping)

This is what I did:

1. In a small saucepan, heat up Water, Oil and Sugar. Bring mixture to just before boil. Turn off fire. Remove saucepan from stove and set aside to cool to warm for about an hour.

2. If you are using active dry yeast, sprinkle yeast into the warm mixture above and let it stand for a minute. Make a well in the centre of the mixing bowl of flour and pour this yeast mixture into it.

OR

2. If you are using instant yeast, add yeast into the flour, stir gently to mix. Make a well in the centre of the mixing bowl and pour the warm mixture (1) into it.

3. Stir gently to mix till the dough comes together. It will be very sticky so, try to gather those on the sides of the bowl into the dough in the centre of the bowl. Cover to proof in a draught free place for at least an hour.

4. After an hour, add the 30gm flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into dough.

5. With a wooden spoon again, stir to combine everything together.

6. At this point, you may proceed to shape the bread, or cover the bowl and chill the dough in the fridge until ready to use. (I chilled it for a day, some said you can leave it up to 2 days. Chilling is said to make the dough a lot more manageable).

7. Take bowl out of a fridge and let it stand a while before handling it.

8. Generously dust your work table, hands and rolling pin with flour.

9. Shape dough into a rough rectangle. Gently press in the garlic, tomato and basil leaves all over.

10. Bi-fold them into a rectangle. Cut into small loaves (I managed to cut 6 pieces). Pinch base to seal. Place dough onto baking tray lined with baking paper, cut side face up.

11. Bake at preheated oven at 220degC for 30-35 mins.

12. Check doneness by tapping on bread. It should sound hollow.

13. Transfer bread onto wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Proportion based on Happy Home Baking... (she calls it "for the lazy baker"...  how about Busy Baker...)