Katarina’s home-made white bread

publication date: Aug 9, 2008

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author/source: Katarina Antoni

A really well-explained bread recipe from Katarina Antoni who is off to St Andrews next month. It has just moved down the Wall of our Facebook page to a point where you might not discover it so I thought it deserved a place here. Bread as you know has gone up a lot in price so this is a good way of saving money on it.

Makes 2 loaves
500g strong bread flour
500g either speciality type flour - semolina or durum wheat - or plain flour. Sometimes when i've been to the deli shop I buy village flour that we have in Cyprus which is made from durum wheat.
2 sachets of instant yeast - some recipes say three but I find it's a bit too much and also, dried yeast is sold in packs of 6, so using two means that from one box you can make six loaves of bread.
Small jug water
Honey or sugar
olive oil or butter
salt
an oven

1) Tip all the flour into a massive bowl, some recipes say do it on the draining board - this is majorly stupid and it will get everywhere
2) Put between 30 - 50g of salt into the mixture. My French friend likes more salt, i'm impartial.
3) Rub about 50 - 70g of butter into the flour OR add a bit of olive oil, it's your choice, again some recipes don't find a need for this but the bread will be dry
4) In a small jug put the yeast and either honey or sugar - this will activate the yeast. Then pour about 580 - 630ml tepid water. DON'T BOIL THE WATER , IT WILL KILL THE YEAST.
5) Add the water to the flour, you'll know if it needs more or less, if it needs more add it, if you've put too much add more flour
6) when it's all come together, empty onto a work surface and start kneading.
7) Wash your big bowl
8) Add the dough to your big bowl and cover with cling film
9) Put in a really warm place - I use my conservatory
10) Go to sleep, forget about it, read, study, shower for about an hour and a half
11) Take out the dough, knead again and divide by two. Shape it or put it into baking tins and leave to rise again for about half an hour.
12) Fifteen minutes before preheat oven to 220°C
13) Bake for about 40 - 60 mins - DON'T OPEN OVEN IN THE FIRST HALF AN HOUR, IT WON'T RISE.