The Pleasures of Homemade Bread

One of my favorite pastimes during the coldest months is baking homemade bread.  The heat of the oven warms the kitchen while the heavenly aroma warms my heart and brings back fond childhood memories.  For me, making and enjoying fresh-baked bread is one of life’s sweetest pleasures!

I grew up in a bread-baking family and received some serious early training.  My Sicilian grandmother made bread almost every day to feed her large family.  It was a necessity, yes, but a task that I believe she enjoyed; plus, all that slapping and kneading of dough was a great way to alleviate the stress of caring for so many children!  My mother, too, baked her own bread in pretty much the same manner as her mother and grandmother did.  It was an art passed down through many generations!

The Sicilian-style bread I grew up with was a white bread that was lovingly kneaded until the dough felt soft as silk, then placed in a large bowl and coated with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.  Of course, the olive oil also added extra flavor!  After rising, the dough was formed into long loaves or, as my mother came to prefer, sandwich-sized rolls which were then generously topped with toasted sesame seeds before rising again and baking.

One of our favorite ways to enjoy this fresh bread was to cut it while still piping hot from the oven, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese, whatever my mother had on hand.  The taste was heavenly and, served along with a green salad, made a quick and satisfying meal!

Being a busy retired gal, I like to keep my recipes simple while still trying to maintain a health-conscious diet.  One recipe I love to make is Whole Wheat Bran Bread, a hearty white and wheat flour bread that is light in texture yet satisfying plus it slices easily for sandwiches.  Here’s my own recipe which yields one loaf.

Begin by buttering a loaf pan and setting aside.  Pre-warm a large bowl and then add:

• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon dry yeast

Gently whisk above to mix well.  Cover bowl a with dish towel and place in a lukewarm (pre-warmed but turned off) oven to sit for approximately 10 minutes, then add:

• 1/2 cup wheat bran
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups white flour, added gradually

After adding in the white flour and when the dough has lost its stickiness, turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately five minutes, adding more white flour as needed.  You should have a smooth and non-sticky dough that forms a ball.  Place about a teaspoon of vegetable or olive oil in the bottom of the bowl, add the dough and swirl to coat it on all sides.  Cover with the dish towel and allow to rise in a lukewarm oven until doubled in bulk, about one hour.

Punch the dough down in the center to release any air bubbles, then turn out again to knead for a few more seconds until smooth.  At this point, I like to sprinkle some bran on the work surface and “roll” the ball of dough in it until it’s covered.  Place in buttered loaf pan, cover with dish towel and let rise again in a warm place, for approximately 30 minutes.

Once the dough has rounded and risen to just above the loaf pan, remove dish towel and bake in a preheated 325-degree oven.  NOTE:  I use an old-fashioned heavy ceramic loaf pan (pictured above) that requires a longer baking time of approximately one hour.  Your bread may only need about 45 minutes, depending on the type of loaf pan used, so monitor its progress.  It will be nicely browned when done.  Remove from loaf pan and place on a small rack to cool before slicing.  Enjoy!

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