Baking a bread is tied to all cuisines all over the world. Every country has their own traditional way to bake a bread, adding their own variations and family traditions. Preparing a bread might seem simple, but requires a skill and practice to figure out your own approach and taste. Do you want more spongy and soft interior with crusty cover as French baguette? Or maybe more solid inside like sourdough? I was raised in Poland where Polish sourdough bread is a kitchen staple on a daily basis. When I travelled to Greece, there is a more of a preference of a soft, baguette like bread. Being in Malta for short period of time I found similarities with Maltese and Polish bread. Scotland on the contrary has a lot to offer from Indian cuisines.

When the pandemic hit the world in 2020, I found new passion in cooking and explored my opportunities with baking bread. I found one beloved recipe for bread that primary is for pizza dough. It turned out to be perfect for bread as well. Join my journey in baking bread. Please see full recipe below.

Ingredients:

•  2½ cups warm water(600 mL)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 7 cups all-purpose flour(875 g), plus more for dusting
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

Preparation

Preparation

1. In the bowl add warm water – not too hot, not too cold. The best temperature is when you put your finger in the bowl and there is a pleasant warmth. Add sugar and yeast to the water. Mix it well and “bloom” the yeast for 10 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Mix it well before you add other ingredients. Make a well in the middle and add the olive oil and bloomed yeast mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix until a shaggy dough begins to form.
3. Mix all the ingredients well. Once the flour is mostly hydrated, turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. The dough should be soft, smooth, and bouncy. Form the dough into a taut round.
4. Grease a clean, large bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside, turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and towel. Let it sit for 1h in the warm place.
5. After the 45 minutes wait pre-heat the oven into 150C degrees.
6. After 1h, the dough should raise. Turn the dough into the clean work surface and form the bread form.
7. Add olive oil to the bread form and place the dough inside. On the top of the bread spread milk or olive oil with the kitchen brush. You can top it up with sesame, herbs, sunflower seeds, etc.
8. Place the bread in the pre-heated oven and leave it for from 45 minutes to 1h. Check if the crust becomes golden brown and then remove bread from the oven. Cover it with clean cotton towel and let it sit for 15 – 30 minutes before eating. Enjoy!

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