I have been sitting on this recipe for a month now. When I went to Chicago for Halloween, I was (of course) reading the massive Cooking Light cookbook at Lauren’s apartment. This bread sounded so good, I immediately grabbed my Blackberry and spent a half hour typing out the entire recipe. (This is why I have carpal tunnel.) But then I was traveling for two more weeks, and it sort of slipped my mind! I was excited to finally have the time to make it.
For the recipe, you need sun-dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil. I know Whole Foods has them, and I found them at two major grocery stores in the produce section — not with the other, oil-packed tomatoes. You might have to hunt around your store for them, but they do exist!
Ingredients
1 c boiling water
20 sun dried tomato halves, no oil
1 pck dry yeast
3.5 cups bread flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 lg egg lightly beaten
1 tbsp melted butter
This is How We Do It
Preheat the oven to 350. Combine water and tomatoes in a small bowl; cover and let stand for 30 minutes.
Drain the tomatoes and reserve the liquid.
Let it cool for a minute or two — it should be 100 to 110 degrees. Stir in yeast.
Let it stand for five minutes, then put it in a large bowl and add 3 cups flour, tomatoes, oil, salt, and egg.
At this point, I attached the dough hook to Betty. If you don’t have a mixer, just stir until a dough forms. If kneading by hand, turn dough out on a floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. Add enough remaining flour, 1 tbsp at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. (It will feel tacky.) I know it seems obvious, but I was taken aback by how tomatoey it smelled!
Place dough in a large bowl coated with spray and turn to coat.
Cover let rise in warm place (85 degrees; I just put it in the sun) free from drafts, for 45 minutes, until it has doubled in size. If you aren’t sure, press your fingers in dough; if indentation remains, the dough has risen. (Like Jesus!)
(Amen.)
Punch dough down (HA! I love this part!), cover, and let rest for five minutes. Then roll the dough flat with a rolling pin into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
Roll up the rectangle tightly starting with short edge. Press firmly to eliminate air pockets and pinch the ends to seal. Place roll seam-side-down in in loaf pan coated with spray.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 min till loaf is browed on bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Brush with the melted butter.
Cut into 16 slices (each slice has 145 cals, 3.3 g fat, 4.7 g protein, 23.9 g carbs, and 1.3 g fiber).
Describe this bread? Um, OFF THE HOOK. It’s a lot saltier than I expected, so it’s just very savory. I’ve just been enjoying it straight-up, but it would be great as a basis for a sandwich, especially a something kind of Italian tasting. It almost has a pizza flavor. I think it would be great cut in cubes, topped with a slice of mozzarella and a little basil, and stabbed with a tooth pick for an appetizer tray! It’s kinda different, but great!
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