Simple Crusty Bread

One of our family’s favorite things to do, especially with the little one is to make homemade bread. Especially in the winter months, we make this often, almost once a week.

There are lots of different recipes out there, but really there is only one that we keep coming back to, over and over again.

Despite the little one’s measuring and meddling, it never seems to fail to come out.

At a time when everything seems complicated the recipe couldn’t be easier:

1 packet of .25 oz Yeast (We recommend Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise Instant Yeast)

2.5 cups of water, 120 degrees warm

A literal pinch of brown sugar

5 cups of all purpose flour (we like Gold Medal Flour)

1/2 Tbsp Salt (we like Morton Iodized)

1 tsp sugar (optional, helps the rise)

1/2 Tbsp Extra virgin Olive Oil

If you have the following tools it, helps:

-One Bread Whisk (we like the one from King Arthurs)

-One Cast Iron Dutch Oven (ours is 5.5qt)

You start with your measuring cup, first put in a literal pinch of brown sugar. Then we cut open the yeast packet and sprinkle it in on top. Meanwhile we are preparing the water, making sure it is adequately warm. If you do not have a thermometer, don’t fret, put your hand in the water, if it is hot, but not so hot you want to remove your hand you will be fine. (Remember yeast is a living thing, if it is too hot for you, it is too hot for it.) Once it is pleasantly hot, fill up your cup and let it sit, about 3-5 minutes.

While the yeast is getting all nice and bubbly, measure out your flour, salt, sugar. I usually let the little one wing it here, close enough will do. (Yes I know it is ‘better’ if your weigh it exactly instead, but the little ones will have more fun this way, and isn’t that half the point sometimes). Anyways, give it a good stir.

When the yeast looks like foamy on top, incorporate the water slowly in. It just needs to come together. You may find you like the texture better if you whisk it with a bread whisk until the dough is smooth and shiny, however, it will still come out if it is lumpy. If you don’t have a bread whisk, a wooden spoon, silicon spatula, or even your clean hands will do. After the water has all been added, occasionally we will add olive oil.

Wet a towel so that it is damp, and lay it over the bowl in a warm spot in the kitchen. Let it rest 3-4 hours if you can.

At this point I like to line my cast iron dutch oven with parchment paper. ( If you do not have a dutch oven pan, you can even use a cake lined cake pan, but then you man need to spritz the bread every 15 minutes in the oven other wise you will get a really thick crust.) Then I whisk the dough again, knocking out the air, and pour it in the pan. If possible I let it rise another 3-4 hours. If I made the dough too late, you can skip this second rise. Otherwise place your pan with bread and lid, in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for one hour.

They say it is best to let your bread rest before cutting it, but we all know bread is irresistible hot out of the oven. Enjoy it!

Pair great with any pasta dish, soup, or even just butter or jelly.