Who doesn’t like fresh bread or rolls? Personally, I’m not a baker. It’s too precise for me and while I wish it was something I was better at, it’s not my strong suit. My wife and daughter are amazing bakers. They are also very precise and detail-oriented, which I think has a lot to do with why they are so good at baking. With cooking, it’s easy to just “make it up” as you go, with a much smaller chance of things not turning out. With baking, the portions of select ingredients (yeast, baking soda, baking powder, etc.) are vital to having the recipe turn out as desired.
This recipe is easy to make and in my experience, pretty much foolproof. It’s also adaptable so you can easily have it take on different identities with minimal chance of completely wrecking it. I’ve provided a few suggestions below but use your imagination. Think about what you want to pair it with and add some complimentary flavors using spices, herbs, and seasonings. Start small and track how much you added so the next time you want it, you can either add the same amount or add more/less based on how it turned out the first time.
Simple Peasant Bread
Equipment
- 1 Medium or large mixing bowl
- 1 Bread pan or baking dish Can use any oven safe pan or dish to cook the bread
- 1 1 or 2 cup measuring cup Will use to measure the water and combine the wet ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour Can also use Bread Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Yeast
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Warm Water
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour and 1 Teaspoon Salt. Mix well.
- Add 1 Teaspoon Sugar into 1 Cup Warm Water and stir to mix.
- Stir 1 Teaspoon Yeast into the water/sugar mixture. Let sit for 1-2 minutes after adding yeast. If the yeast is good, it will bubble. If it doesn't bubble, the least is bad and you will need new yeast.
- Stir the wet ingredients (water/sugar/yeast) into the dry ingredients (flour/salt). Stir until the wet and dry ingredients are combined only, you don't need to over stir this dough.
- Cover the bowl and dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it sit for 2 hours in a warm location (countertop).
- After 2 hours, prepare the vessel you will cook your bread in by greasing it (apply a thin coat of butter, non-stick spray, oil, etc. to the inside of the vessel). This can be a bread pan, shaped into balls for rolls, or whatever you decide to do with it.
- Shape the dough or put it into the vessel. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees (175 C)
- After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, put it into the oven for about 30 minutes. Based on the shape you are using, it may take 25-40 minutes to bake completely. Check the bread and once it has cooked through, it is done.
- Remove from oven and set aside to rest until it is room temperature or serve slightly warm. Enjoy!
OPTIONS
- Italian Style: Add 1 teaspoon basil (can also use oregano or Italian seasoning), 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 teaspoons fresh crushed garlic), mix well into dry ingredients.
- Sweet: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to dry ingredients (mix well) and 2 teaspoons honey to wet ingredients (mix well).
- Make it your own: Experiment with adding spices or seasonings to build a flavor profile that will compliment your meal.