Looking for bread that's beyond the ordinary? This fluffly loaf gives a subtle nod to Italy through basil and sundried tomatoes.
Makes one loaf
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes + 1.5 hours resting time
Ingredients
500g strong white bread flour
1 1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp caster sugar
1 1/2 tbsp dried basil
One sachet of yeast (7g)
2 tbsp olive oil*
100g sundried tomatoes
300ml lukewarm water
*Note: Use the oil from the sundried tomates for added flavour.
Method
Put the flour, salt, sugar, basil and yeast into a large bowl and mix together.
Chop the sundried tomatoes into small pieces - I use scissors for this - and add them to the flour mix, stirring to distribute.
Add the oil to the water in a measuring jug.
Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and add about a quarter of the water. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to push the flour into the well until it starts forming a dough. Repeat until all of the water is in the bowl.
Start using your hands to mould the mixture into a dough, folding in any extra flour at the bottom of the bowl. It should feel slightly dry, but it will become softer as you work it. Don't worry if it is sticky.
Tip the dough onto a non-stick work surface dusted with flour. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, sprinkling additional flour onto the surface as it is absorbed into the dough. The dough will take up a reasonable amount of extra flour, but at the end of the time, it should feel silky. Mold the dough into a ball.
Dip your fingers into the sundried tomato oil and lightly oil a clean bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for one hour. The dough should double in size.
Grease a loaf tin with the tomato oil. Remove the cling film but keep it. Tip the dough back onto the work surface and lightly knead it for a few minutes. Gently shape it into a log by folding two of the sides in and gently stretching the ends out, measuring it against the loaf tin.
With the folded side down, put the dough into the tin and gently manipulate the ends to fit the tin. Use the cling film to loosely cover the tin. Leave for another half hour, but after 15 minutes, turn the oven on to 200°C to preheat.
Uncover the dough and with a sharp knife or bread lame, make a long cut down the centre, from one end to the other.
Place in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes. If you tap the top of the bread, it should sound hollow when cooked.
Gently slide a butter knife around the outside of the loaf and tip it out of the tin onto a rack to cool.
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