I have always been reluctant to make bread. It seems like such a big thing and so much effort.
But it really isn't. This is a simple recipe which goes wonderfully with butter and jam when it's fresh from the oven. I recommend having a good look through some expert baking books and getting into it. I was giving the beautiful Bourke Street Bakery cookbook a few years ago, from the gorgeous Sydney bakery and cafe. It's a bread-making bible and a great start if you want to experiment. Some great recipes can also be found online. In the meantime, here's a simple recipe to get you started.
Ingredients
| 2 cups | Plain flour (Main) |
| 1 tsp | Sea salt |
| 1 tsp | Dried instant yeast (Main) |
| ¾ cup | Water, lukewarm |
| 2 Tbsp | Oil |
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Directions
- Combine flour and salt and yeast in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, and add ¾ cup water and oil.
- Mix to form a soft dough, adding more water if required. Place on to a floured bench and knead lightly for 2 minutes.
- Place in an oiled bowl and leave to (roughly) double in size (up to an hour).
- Roll the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently for about 2 minutes.
- Roll out on to an oiled baking tray, rub over a small drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle over your favourite dried herb, or a little sea salt.
- Bake at 200C for 25-30 minutes.
