St. Anthony's Day bread

Buona Festa di San Antonio a tutti!

Today is the feast of the great Saint Anthony of Padua! Traditionally on this day, Italian Catholics would start the day with Mass, followed by the Priest blessing animals, lilies, and bread in honor of the charitable San Antonio!

Likewise, Italians traditionally exchange loaves or baskets of bread rolls with other families as a token of prosperity and health that they may never go hungry. It is a long standing practice among past generations, and it's something we need more of today. Warm, freshly baked bread makes a great gift for any family, especially when it's blessed! So today, I've got my latest whole wheat bread recipe for all of you.....

Except this one is kind of cheating!! I use my bread machine to do most of the work, and then I take all the credit. The machine mixes, kneads, and rises the dough. Then, when that's all done, I simply roll it out and bake it! Perfect for a pregnant mammarella who won't be caught barefoot in the kitchen for TOO long!

NOTE: Most bread machines can accommodate a 2 lb. loaf (which this recipe's dough capacity is) but if yours does not, simply cut this recipe in half. Also, if you do not have a bread machine, you can always use this recipe with a hand-kneading method (but really, why would you want to?)

Bread Machine Rolls

Pane di San Antonio!

4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3 tsp. salt

1 heaping TBSP. Active Dry Yeast

1 heaping tsp. vital wheat gluten

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup honey

1 1/2 cups very hot water

1 egg, beaten

Add the oil, water, honey, and egg into your bread machine container. Mix the dry ingredients (except for the yeast). Add the dry ingredients on top of the liquid, maintaining the separation of the liquid & dry layers. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the yeast. Turn on the bread machine (set on a 2lb dough cycle) and wait patiently!!!!

When the dough is done, remove it from the bread machine. This dough will be wet and sticky. Use enough all purpose unbleached flour to coat it and make it workable.

You can shape it into rolls like this:

OR you can braid it into a

pull-apart loaf like this:

This recipe makes a soft, fluffy dinner roll. If you want a crisper bottom, try baking it on a pizza stone with a water bath in the oven, but it really is not meant to be a crusty loaf, yet it still tastes AWESOME and is versatile enough for almost any meal!

Whole Wheat French Bread!

Okay, knowing that you'll need the basics: (flour, water, yeast, salt, olive oil, and honey) this is the easiest way for me to format these instructions for you.

The following steps should make it simple for you to stay organized as you prepare this yummy, healthy, whole wheat recipe...

Dissolve and let activate for 5-10 minutes:

5 tsp. (or two packages) active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (110-120 degrees)

1/2 tsp honey (this feeds the yeast and is a super great secret to good rising!)

Combine together with:

2 TB honey

2 TB olive oil

2 tsp. salt

2 cups hot water

Stir in:

6 1/2 - 7 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 TB vital wheat gluten flour

(I found that I only needed about 6 1/2 cups to start with, and added the rest in the kneading process. Less is more with flour!)

Directions:

Knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place ball of dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. (Hint: place on top of or inside a warm oven for great rising!)

Punch down, and let rest 15 minutes.

Divide dough in half, roll each into a 12 x 15 inch flat rectangle.

Roll up the rectangular dough, starting from the 15 inch edge.

Place loaves on a greased cookie sheet. Make some slashes on the top and brush with an egg wash. Cover & let rise until doubled.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Warning: This could possibly be the easiest & yummiest "healthy" bread you'll ever taste. And trust me, I am NO baker, and I pulled this one off! I milled my flour fresh (more on that later) and the taste was exquisite. If you do not love whole wheat flour, I would suggest using a ratio of 3/4 whole wheat flour to 1/4 white flour - it might make the adjustment a bit easier.

Homemade Bread Recipe

There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread. It always reminds me of my grandmother's kitchen. Somehow - without any measurements or calculations - she got it just right every time. And even though I've tried making it myself, it never turns out like hers. Hers was the best.


But while spending this week visiting with my sister-in-law, I must admit that her recipe comes in a close second. We (actually, she) spent most of the afternoon mixing, kneading, and baking fresh loaves of bread to feed all twelve of us. (There are eight children between our two families!)


But even with a full house we can always find time for buon cibo. Having several little helpers is always a bonus! My daughter, who we call the "carb machine," (she lives for pasta and bread) enjoyed making and eating it more than anyone.




This recipe is so easy and very tasty. It makes a great sponge for soaking up your favorite pasta sauce....


HOMEMADE BREAD LOAVES:


1 TB extra virgin olive oil


2 TB salt


3 1/2 cups very warm water


4 1/2 TSP (or two packages) yeast


7 cups of flour


Dissolve yeast completely in the warm water. In a separate large bowl, combine salt and olive oil. Add five cups of flour. Add the yeast/water mixture. Mix thoroughly. Then add remaining two cups of flour while mixing.


Knead until springy and a nice dough is formed. Grease the sides and bottom of the bowl, replace dough. Let rise (covered) for about an hour, or until doubled in size.




Once risen, think of something that makes you very angry, then punch the dough down with your fist. Knead again. Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead again (Trust me , it's worth it). Divide the dough into four equal parts. Knead each ball of dough individually.


Grease two sheet pans with olive oil & butter and sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll out each ball into a large rectangle. Then roll the dough lengthwise, folding the ends and pinching the seams as you roll. Once rolled, smooth out the loaf by rolling it a few times on the floured surface to ensure that there are no holes in the loaf. Place loaves on pan(s) and let rise for about 40 minutes.


Once risen, set oven to 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes.

Makes four loaves total.


You will surely want to double the recipe since it will likely be halfway gone as soon as it's out of the oven.

Even if you aren't a "carb machine," freshly baked bread is irresistible.

Don't believe me? I think my nephew's face says it all----->

"Che bellisima!"