Italian granary- home baking

Hi Lovers,

Isn't the smell of fresh home made bread wafting through your house, everything? I love the smell and taste of butter on a piping hot slice mhhmmmhh.

Fresh Granary 

I baked some fresh bread this morning ...because I am a grown up and I do that now lol.

I haven't baked anything for ages but I woke up this morning super early and really wanted some fresh home made bread. So that's what I did. I whipped up a super easy granary loaf.

I am usually a bit iffy when it comes to measuring as I hate following recipes to the letter. I am a free hand cook and I love to improvise and go with what feels right but I really enjoyed the process.

I enjoyed it so much, I am on my 3rd slice and spraying toasted crumbs on my laptop in my haste to share the recipe with you.

So here it is......

Ingredients 

Serves: 8 

400ml warm water

750g granary bread flour

1½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon active baking yeast (dried)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons of poppy seeds

Method

Prep:3 hours

1. Mix  the flour, dried yeast, poppy seeds and salt into a large bowl.
2. Once all dried ingredients are mixed make a well in the middle pour water and olive oil in. 
3.  Stir gently to form a dough. it should be well mixed and soft.
4. Lightly flour a clean cool surface and knead for 8-11 minutes until the dough is further softened and elastic.
5. place a teaspoon of olive oil into a dry clear large bowl, place the dough in and place a cover with a clean tea towel.
6. After approx an hour it will have doubled, shape into a loaf and insert into a greased loaf tin.
7. leave for another 30 minutes to rise.

Finished product - fresh granary 

Baking time: 45 minutes

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
2.  Bake at 180 degrees for 45-50 minutes until the bread is delicious looking and golden brown. 
3. Slide a knife in and it should come out clean. If done when tapped it will have a hollow sound at the base.
4. remove the loaf and let it rest for a few minutes before removing from the tin.

And there you have it. Fresh Italian granary bread!

Enjoy and don't forget to tweet me pictures if you use the recipe I would love to see!

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

The warmer: Roasted pepper & butternut squash soup

London has been experiencing some dodgy ass weather once again. Is it hot?, is it cold? why is there rain, wind and weak sun assaulting my senses? Is this hayfever or a light "summer" sniffle I am experiencing?

 I dunno anymore. What I do know is that I have been craving roasted squash soup, with lashings of garlic and other beautiful accompaniments.

Squash, Red peppers, Garlic, Carrot and Spanish onions

 Recipe:

1 medium sized Squash

4 full bulbs of garlic

5 medium sized carrots

1 long bell pepper

2 medium sized onion

salt and pepper to taste

2.5 tablespoons of olive oil over the the veg 

roast 45 mins

Greek Yogurt and Dried chives added

  

Part 2:

Remove the skin of the now softened squash and roasted garlic. Cut carrots and squash into small chunks and blitz all roasted veggies in a blender with 1 cup of water.

Whilst blitzing, get a large pot that can hold the soup and some olive oil and add chopped spring onions and fried mushrooms cook down and add soup mixture. I seasoned with lots of chilli to balance the sweetness, black pepper and season all. My Focaccia recipe can be followed here.

Enjoy trying it out!

Homemade chive, basil and time focaccia bread

  

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays