Quick Rustic Bread

A few posts ago I told you about my latest passion (read 'addiction'): bread. I've been on a bread-baking these weeks and finally I can share with all of you my first ever recipe of bread for Cinnamon Girl.

The house still smells so amazingly good of homemade bread, it has always been one of my favorite aromas ever since I was a child.

This is an easy and quick recipe perfect for beginners and those who don't have enough patience to wait for the dough to rise for hours and then let it cool completely. Even though it's a quick recipe (that can be made in approximately one hour) that doesn't mean this bread won't surprise you. It has a really nice, brown crust and the inside is tender and not too dry, something I love. Once it's baked you'll see how beautifully rustic it looks! I felt inspired and even made some impromptu cuts with the scissors on the top.

I found this recipe at Donna Currie's website, Cookistry. She has so many great bread recipes, tips and techniques...it's like a Bread-wipedia!

I hop you like it! :-)

Receta en español aquí!

Quick Rustic Bread
(recipe adapted from Donna Currie's Cookistry)

Ingredients
1 cup lukewarm water.
1 tbsp sugar.
1 package instant yeast.
3 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour).
2 tsp salt.
1 tbsp olive oil.

Directions

In a medium bowl combine water, sugar and yeast. Stir this mixture a bit and set aside for a few minutes until it foams.

Add in the flour and salt and mix with your hands. Once the mixture starts to become sticky and has absorbed the water it's the moment to dust the counter with flour, pick up the dough and knead it by hand.

It's very important to fold in air in the dough during the kneading: we have to hold the dough in both hands and stretch it out, folding and turning it 90 degrees, repeating the process and working the dough until the dough is smooth. I like to add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to add a little extra of rusticness and help me work the dough.

I give the dough a break and let it rest for a few minutes while I'm hand kneading, it's good for my arms too!

Once it's smooth form a ball, place it on a big sized bowl, cover it and allow it to rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

Lay the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make some cuts with a knife on the top (let run your creativity and create some cool forms).

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes approximately. Keep track of time and temperature because not all ovens are the same. Make sure the bottom doesn't brown too fast! It will be ready when the top is brown and the bread makes a hollow sound if you thump it.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.