Cold Winter afternoons call for hot crusty bread.   Bread baking has always been a risky business, lots of failure and frustration.

But then I met my friend Jan and she introduced me to Peasant Bread- simple, easy, delicious and in six years of following the recipe, I’ve not failed yet.

There’s something so satisfying and sensuous about kneading dough.   I feel connected to previous generations of women who regularly made bread for their families.  I’m so thankful to live in a time with grocery stores and conveniences- don’t get me wrong.  It’s just that making bread slows time.  It forces me to plan my day and hours around what’s required next in the process.  It feels artistic and therapeutic, enjoyable and rewarding.

Turned out onto floured parchment paper, kneaded, adding flour until a soft, non-sticky dough is formed.
Placed in a greased bowl to rise for an hour, lightly covered with a damp cloth.Rest, have a cup of tea, read a book, start dinner, take a nap.
Dough has doubled in size.
Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper, sprinkle with cornmeal.   Punch down dough, divide in half, and form each half into an oval.  Place ovals on prepared baking sheet.  Loosely cover with a damp cloth and let rise another 45 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Throw a load of laundry in, throw another log onto the fire, grab your book and another cup of tea, and rest.

Brush the top of each loaf with melted butter, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake another 20 minutes or until done.

Remove from oven, brush with more butter, and place on a wire rack to cool.

Slather with butter.  Eat.  Do it again.

peasant bread

2 cups warm water

1 package of active dry yeast

1 Tbs of sugar

2 tsp salt

5 to 5 1/2 cups cups of flour

1 Tbs cornmeal

melted butter

In a large bowl combine water, yeast, sugar, and salt.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Stir in as much flour as you can with a spoon.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Dough will be sticky.  Knead in just enough of remaining flour to make a soft dough- about 3 to 5 minutes.  Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.  Cover with damp cloth and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Divide dough in half.  Form each half into an oval and place each loaf on prepared baking sheet.  Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 more minutes.  Brush tops with melted butter sprinkle with salt, and bake in 425 degree oven for 10 minutes.   Reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking another 20 minutes or until done.

Remove from oven, brush with butter again, and cool on wire rack.