Farm Bread Recipes

FARMER'S BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of flour and salt. Cut in the butter and stir in the yeast mixture. Beat in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Butter a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a large oval loaf. Place onto the prepared pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. When the loaf is risen, cut a 1/2 inch deep cross onto the top of it. Brush the top with water before baking.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until bottom of loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

FARMHOUSE WHITE SANDWICH BREAD

Steps:

• Add all ingredients to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or to a large mixing bowl. Combine until a dough is formed that holds together and does not stick to the sides of bottom of the bowl. If it seems too dry and crumbly, add more water a teaspoon at a time. If it's too sticky, add more flour.
• Knead the dough by machine or hand for ten to fifteen minutes, until it is smooth, soft, and reaches the windowpane stage (meaning that when the dough is stretched, a translucent area appears). If using a stand mixer, allow the machine to rest every five minutes.
• Shape the dough gently into a ball and place into a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and place into a warm place to rise. Let the dough rise 60 minutes, until it is puffy and has doubled in size.
• Gently stretch the dough into a rectangle, with the short side of the rectangle as long as the long side of the loaf pan you will be using for baking. Tuck in the corners and top of the dough, and roll into a long. Pinch the seams closed and place the loaf, seam side down, into a lightly oiled loaf pan.
• Cover with heavily greased plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise again, until the dough rises to be one inch above the top of the loaf pan. When it is ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously flour the top of the loaf with flour.
• Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until the dough is 200-210 degrees internally and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from loaf pan and allow to cool fully on wire rack. Bread stays fresh 2 days at room temperature, or 2 months frozen.

FARMHOUSE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, oil, honey, oats, whole wheat flour, cornmeal, salt and 2 cups bread flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Shape into loaves. Place in three greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

FARMHOUSE BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and 1 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl. Let rest 10-15 minutes.
• Add salt, sugar, shortening and 3 1/3 cups warm water.
• Gradually mix in 10 cups of flour. Add up to 2 more cups until dough is no longer sticky.
• Knead for 10 minutes. Cover the bowl and let rise for 1 hour until dough doubles in size.
• Punch down dough, form into 4 loaves, place into loaf pans and let rise again until double in size(about an hour).
• Place in preheated oven at 375 degrees and bake until golden brown (about 35 Minutes).
• This recipe also works well halfed.
• For whole wheat bread, substitute 4 cups of whole wheat flour mixed with 6 to 8 cups of white flour.
• I cool slice and freeze the extra laoves for later.

FARMHOUSE WHITE SANDWICH BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine 4 cups all purpose flour, instant yeast, and sugar. Make a well in the center, and add melted butter and warm milk. Add 3-4 cups of flour, adding 1 cup at a time. Stir with wooden spoon until you have a sticky, shaggy dough that's mostly combined. Don't worry if it's not smooth. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Uncover the dough and add the salt and 1 cup of bread flour. Add an additional cup if it's too sticky to begin kneading. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead with floured hands for 8-10 minutes. Adding small amounts of flour if necessary.to work surface. You want the dough to be soft slightly tacky but not sticky. You may not need all the flour. Just use according to the feel and texture of the dough.
• Using a very large bowl sprinkle in flour add dough and sprinkle the top with flour. Cover and let rise until it has doubled. Preferably a warm place that's around 70 degrees. If the temperature is cooler it will take longer to rise.
• After the dough has doubled dump out onto a floured surface. Flatten gently to remove air bubbles. Divide into 3 equal pieces and shape into loaves. Place seam side down in greased loaf pans. Dust loaves with flour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover the loaves with the damp towel and let rise for about 40-60 minutes. Gently poke with a floured finger, the dough should spring back a little.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes. Loaves should be golden brown. The best way to check is with a thermometer. Internal temperature of loaves should read about 200 degrees. Let cool completely before slicing with a bread knife.

PORTUGUESE FARM BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Combine the yeast, semolina flour, and water by churning 10 seconds in a large heavy-duty food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl, re-cover, and let stand until foamy, about 15 minutes.
• 2. With the machine running, add half the all-purpose flour down the feed tube. It's easier if you pour the flour from a spouted measuring cup into a wide-mouth canning funnel inserted in the feed tube or failing that, a stiff piece of paper rolled into a cone (the opening at the bottom should be at least 1 inch across).
• 3. Using a plastic spatula, scrape the work bowl, and if necessary, redistribute the dough so that it evenly surrounds the blade - take care! Add the salt and remaining flour, distributing evenly over the dough, and churn for 10 seconds. Again scrape the work bowl and redistribute the dough.
• 4. Churn the dough for 20 seconds nonstop, shut the machine off, and let the dough rest in the sealed work bowl for 5 minutes. Now churn for another 20 seconds.
• 5. Leaving the blade in place, carefully redistribute the dough until it's of uniform thinness. Re-cover the work bowl, keeping the pusher in. Note the level of the dough in bulk, estimate what it should be when doubled in bulk, and mark that level on the side of the work bowl.
• 6. Let the dough rise in the sealed work bowl until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, lightly coat an 8-inch springform pan or 8-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• 7. When the dough has fully doubled, pulse quickly 4 to 5 times to punch down, then churn for 20 seconds nonstop. Let the dough rest in the sealed work bowl for 5 minutes, then churn for another 20 seconds. The dough will roll into a ball and leave the sides of the work bowl reasonably clean.
• 8. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball, then roll in the flour to dust lightly. Place the loaf in the prepared pan, cover with a clean, dry dish towel, and set in a warm, dry spot until nearly doubled in bulk - this will take about 30 minutes.
• 9. When the dough has risen for 10 minutes, position one rack in the middle of the oven and slide a second rack in the slot just below. Place a large shallow baking pan on the lower rack - I use a 15 1/2 X 10 1/2 X 1-inch jelly roll pan - and half-fill with water. Preheat the over to 500°F.
• 10. Center the risen loaf on the middle rack and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and continue baking until richly browned and hollow sounding when thumped, 20 to 25 minutes longer.
• 11. Remove the bread from the pan as soon as it comes from the oven, set right-side-up on a wire rack, and cool to room temperature before cutting.

CAST IRON FARMHOUSE BREAD

Steps:

• Add 2 cups (470 ml) flour, salt, and yeast to a bowl, and stir to combine. Pour in water and stir until incorporated into a sticky dough. Cover bowl with a damp tea towel. Let sit 15 hours.
• Remove cloth from dough. Flour the counter with the remaining flour. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead to incorporate the flour. Shape into a ball and place in a greased mixing bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel. Let rest 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). Once hot, place Dutch oven into oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove Dutch oven from oven. Sprinkle the bottom with cornmeal. Place dough ball inside. Cut a slash in the top using a knife. Cover Dutch oven and put back in oven.
• Bake 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake a further 15 minutes until crusty and golden.
• Remove and let cool slightly. Slice and serve warm with butter.

PAO: PORTUGUESE FARM BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, semolina flour, and water by pulsing 10 seconds in a large heavy-duty food processor (about 11 cup capacity) fitted with the metal chopping blade. Scrape down the side of the work bowl, recover, and let stand until foamy, about 15 minutes.
• With the machine running, add 1 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour down the feed tube. It's easier if the flour is poured from a spouted measuring cup into a wide-mouth canning funnel inserted in the feed tube, or a stiff piece of paper rolled into a cone (the opening at the bottom should be at least 1-inch across).
• Using a plastic spatula scrape the work bowl and, if necessary, redistribute the dough so that it evenly surrounds the blade. Be careful of the blade. Add the salt and remaining flour, distribute evenly over the dough, and pulse for 10 seconds. Again scrape the work bowl and redistribute the dough.
• Pulse the dough for 20 seconds nonstop, shut the machine off, and let the dough rest covered in the work bowl for 5 minutes. Now pulse for another 20 seconds.
• Leaving the blade in place, carefully redistribute the dough until it's of uniform thickness. Recover the work bowl, keeping the pusher from the feed tube in. Note the level of the dough, estimate what it should be when doubled in bulk, and mark that level on the side of the work bowl.
• Let the dough rise in the sealed work bowl until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, lightly coat an 8-inch springform pan or 8-inch pie pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• When the dough has fully doubled, pulse quickly 4 to 5 times to punch down, then pulse for 20 seconds nonstop. Let the dough rest in the sealed work bowl for 5 minutes, then pulse for another 20 seconds. The dough will roll into a ball and leave the sides of the work bowl reasonably clean.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball, then roll in the flour to dust lightly. Place the loaf in the prepared pan, cover with a clean, dry dish towel, and set in a warm, dry spot until nearly doubled in bulk, this will take about 30 minutes.
• When the dough has risen for 10 minutes, position 1 rack in the middle of the oven and slide a second rack in the slot just below. Place a large shallow baking pan on the lower rack?I use a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1-inch jelly roll pan?and half-fill with water. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Center the risen loaf on the middle rack and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. and continue to bake until richly browned and hollow sounding when thumped, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.
• Remove the bread from the pan as soon as it comes from the oven, set right-side up on a wire rack, and cool to room temperature before cutting.

NO-KNEAD SALAMI BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and stir with a stiff rubber spatula until combined and there are no longer bits of flour, 20 to 30 seconds. (It will be very sticky.) Cover with plastic and let sit on the counter at room temperature overnight, 12 to 18 hours.
• Remove the plastic cover and smell the funky fermented aroma and appreciate the bubbles. Sprinkle one-third of the salami and chives over the top. Using a rubber spatula, fold the outside of the dough over the salami to cover. Repeat this process two more times until all of the salami and chives are folded in.
• Lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter and sprinkle with an even layer of flour to cover the surface (about 1/4 cup or so). Scrape the dough onto the floured parchment and use heavily-floured hands to shape it into a roundish blob. Press in any exposed salami bits and pinch the dough to seal. Sprinkle the top with another layer of flour and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Let sit until the dough has risen by half, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Place a 3- or 4-quart lidded Dutch oven on the rack and allow to heat while the oven reaches the desired temperature.
• When the dough has proofed, carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven and remove the lid. Uncover the plastic from the bread dough and gently lower the dough into the Dutch oven on the parchment. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, then bake until the top is golden brown and crusty, another 10 to 20 minutes.
• Let it cool on a rack for about an hour, then slice and serve with butter if desired. This is best on the first day, but it will freeze well wrapped tightly in plastic.