Emmer Wheat Bread

In our apartment, each season comes with it's own pattern of light that travels across the floors and up the walls as the days get shorter and shorter. There were a few choice shots on the last roll of film I took that proved, despite this weird warm weather we have been having, fall is here in earnest. At last, it's time to wear sweaters and eat soup and bake lots and lots of bread to eat with all of the lovely jams that we put up all summer. I ate these hearty rolls with apple butter and made some pretty excellent tomato sandwiches with the last of the summer tomatoes.

Emmer Wheat Bread adapted from Beard on Bread
yield: 2 small loaves or 16-20 dinner rolls

4 1/2t yeast
1T sugar
2c warm water (110ºF-115ºF)
4T butter
2T molasses
1 1/2T salt
3c hard wheat flour (I used hard red wheat)
2 1/2-3c emmer wheat flour (whole wheat would work here too)
1 egg beaten, for egg wash
oats or seeds to sprinkle
2T melted butter, if making rolls

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2c of the warm water and let proof while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, remaining warm water, molasses and salt. Then add the yeast mixture.
3. Add the whole wheat flour and 2c of the emmer wheat flour to a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, then stir in the yeast mixture. If the dough seems very sticky and soft add more emmer flour, a few tablespoons at a time, until you have a soft and tacky, but not sticky dough. I used an entire cup of additional flour.
4. Continue to knead the dough in the stand mixer or by hand for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and supple. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and let rise in a warm, draft free area until doubled in size, about an hour.
5. After it has risen, gently press the dough to remove air bubbles, at this point you can divide the dough into two loaves, or 16-20 rolls.
6. To make the rolls, divide the dough into 16-20 even portions and roll into balls. Roll the balls in melted butter and place them in a 13x9 baking dish and cover loosely with a towel to rise. To form loaves, pat each 1/2 of the dough into a rectangle about 6'' wide and 8'' long on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough from the short side, away from you, pinching the crease each time the dough meets itself. Gently place each loaf into a lightly greased loaf pan, seam side down, and cover loosely with a towel to rise. For both loaves and rolls, let the dough rise in a warm draft free spot until doubled in size. While the dough is rising a second time preheat your oven to 425ºF.
7. After the dough has risen a second time, brush the loaves or rolls with an egg wash and sprinkle seeds or oats on the top to garnish. Slide the bread into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 375ºF and bake the loaves for an additional 20-30min until they are browned and sound hollow when tapped. The rolls will need about 10-15 minutes at 375ºF and are done when they are nicely browned on top. Let cool before slicing.

Notes:

My brother and sister in law are excellent gift givers and they sent me a box chock full of fun, food goodies including a variety of flours including the hard red wheat and emmer that I used in this recipe. Feel free to substitute whole wheat flour for either or both, although you may need more water than is called for here. Also, emmer flour is quite low in gluten and the bread will rise less than traditional whole wheat dough.

Rustic Potato Bread

After college I spent a brief stint making lattes at an upscale grocery store in Seattle. I worked early, early mornings with a few fun gals and one very crazy guy, learned all of my regulars' drink orders and got to taste bread from all of the best bakeries in town. It wasn't a terrible way to spend my transition from college to real life but after about six months I had my fill and was on to bigger and better things, namely moving to New York. Now there's no shortage of delicious bread in NYC, but when I am missing home and needing a little comfort I whip out my Macrina Bakery cookbook and make my favorite bread from my latte days.

Rustic Potato Bread 
adapted from the Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook
yield one (seriously) large loaf

1 1/4lbs russet potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes)
1/2c potato liquid (reserved from Step 1)
1T kosher salt
1 1/2t yeast
2T olive oil
3C flour (plus 1 cup for kneading)

1. Clean the potatoes thoroughly and cut into chunks. Put the potatoes, along with 1t of the salt in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cook the potatoes for about 10 min or until they are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and reserve 1/2 of the liquid. Let the potatoes and liquid cool for about 20 min.
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm potato water and let stand 5 min.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the cooled potatoes for about 1 min. Add the olive oil and mix for a minute more, then add the potato water and yeast mixture and mix until completely combined.
4. Switch to the dough hook attachment and add the 3C of flour and the remaining 2t salt. Mix on low to incorporate the flour, then increase the speed to medium and knead for 11 min OR if you are like me and are afraid that bread dough will kill your kitchen aid, knead by hand for 10-15 min. The dough will start out very dry and shaggy, but will become soft and sticky as you knead. I usually end up adding 1/2-3/4c more flour to the mixture as I am kneading. You want the finished dough to be smooth and tacky, but not sticky.
5. When the kneading is finished, form the dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth. Set the dough in a warm spot to rise for about 45 min or until the dough is almost doubled in size.
6. Once risen, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently flatten and form it into a rectangle about 10'' wide with your hands. Then, roll the dough into a tight log, leaving about 1'' of dough on the end. Use your fingers to flatten this bit of dough and dust it with flour. This will create a decorative top and allow the steam to escape from the loaf while baking. Wrap the loaf, seam side down in a floured kitchen towel and let it proof for 45min. This recipe makes a HUGE loaf of bread, so you might want to split it and make two smaller ones.
7. While the dough is proofing, preheat your oven to 400º and fill a cup with 1/2c water. Carefully unwrap the loaf and place it, seam side up, on a baking sheet. Slide the baking sheet into the hot oven, then toss the water into the bottom of the oven and quickly shut the door. The burst of steam created will give the finished loaf a nice crispy crust. Bake the loaf for about 45min or until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let cool before slicing.

Notes:

Don't be tempted to peel the potatoes! The skins give the bread really great flavor and texture. Before I got the Macrina cookbook I thought the little flecks in the bread were some variety of delicious herb that I just couldn't place. That said, if you wanted to fancy this recipe up with a bit of thyme or rosemary it would probably be pretty tasty.

I've never tried, but I think this recipe would make a pretty outstanding sandwich loaf (or two) so try it out and let me know how it goes.

Skillet Corn Bread with Jalapeño Honey Butter

I am on a mission people. A mission to clean out all of the bits and bobs and random bags of who knows what that have been hiding in the dark corners of my pantry (can just one cupboard be called a pantry?) and fridge for who knows how long. First up was the half full bag of cornmeal and the sad jalapeño left over from a pepper jelly adventure. Note to self: use gloves next time you make pepper jelly, seriously you are not that tough. Moving on...I think my heavy cast iron skillet was the most important part of this bready equation so use one if you have it. If you don't, a stainless steel skillet would probably work, but you will miss out on the superb crunchy crust that the cast iron gives the bread. I originally planned on chopping up the jalapeño and adding it into the batter, but Mr. Honey Bear caught my eye and I realized that it would be much better utilized in a sweet, spicy accompaniment, and jalapeño honey butter was born. The sweet, savory, spicy combo will knock your socks off so break out the cast iron this weekend and try out this recipe. Happy Friday!

Skillet Cornbread
adapted from epicurious

1 1/2c yellow cornmeal
3/4t baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
kernels from one ear of fresh corn, about a cup
2 large eggs
1 3/4c buttermilk or milk with 1T of lemon juice or vinegar mixed in
4T unsalted butter, softened

Heat your oven to 425º. Place a dry, 9'' cast iron skillet in the middle of the oven to heat while you prepare the other ingredients

1. In a medium bowl, stir the cornmeal, baking soda, and salt together.
2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together.
3. Remove your skillet from the oven, careful it's hot! Toss in the butter and swirl it around the bottom and sides to melt it. Add the melted butter to the buttermilk/egg mix, then put the skillet back into the oven until you are ready to use it.
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, then gently fold in the corn kernels. Pour the mixture into the hot cast iron pan and slide it back into the oven. Bake for 20-25min or until golden. Serve warm with jalapeño honey butter.

Jalapeño Honey Butter

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3T honey
1/2 of a jalapeño, minced finely
pinch salt

Whisk all of the ingredients together. Store leftover butter tightly wrapped in the fridge or freezer.

Note:
- If you are nice to your cast iron pans, they will last forever. Just please, for the love of unicorns, don't wash it with soap and make sure it is totally dry before you put it away. I always heat mine on the stove until all of the water evaporates.
- If you don't have a cast iron pan, you can buy them real cheap at most hardware stores.