My Home-Baked Bread

I like baking bread at home! It’s so nice when my kitchen is filled with the smell of fresh bread. I also like playing with the dough. Sometimes I make loafs, other times I shape my bread into rounds, baguettes, or some other shapes. And every time, my bread comes out with a different twist as I always add some flavorful ingredients such as olives, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, dried oregano, raisins, or different varieties of seeds.









I got this basic bread recipe from my mother. Most likely, this is not the simplest and quickest bread recipe, but it works very well for me.

Here is the recipe. It produces two bread rounds about 1.75 pounds each.

3 cups warm water
1 ½ teaspoon dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 ½ cups bread flour plus more for kneading and dusting

In a big mixing bowl, dissolve yeast, sugar, and salt in a small amount of water (about ½ cup). Add the remaining water and vegetable oil. Add flour and make the dough using a wooden spoon. Mix until the dough comes off the sides of the mixing bowl easily.

Dust the dough with a little bit of flour, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and leave in a warm place for one and a half hour.

Punch the air out of the dough and knead it until it is smooth and elastic but not sticky (for about 7-10 minutes). Return it to the bowl, dust with flour, cover, and leave for another one and a half hour in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Again working on a floured surface, punch the air out of the dough and knead lightly (at this point, you can work in the additional ingredients such as olives or sun-dried tomatoes).

Shape the dough into two rounds, place on lightly greased baking sheets or round forms and set aside to rise for 15-20 minutes.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

Let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Today, I am joining Tempt My Tummy Tuesday @ Blessed With Grace.

Also later this week, I will link to Foodie Friday @ Designs by Gollum.