|
This recipe makes enough dough to fill three 6-inch and three 3-inch terra-cotta pots, but other non-glazed pots can be used. The pots must be seasoned first. To season pots-
Wash and dry the pots; coat the insides and top rim with shortening and bake them at 425 degrees for an hour. Then, coat the insides again with shortening after they come out of the oven. Use an oven mitt or a thick towel to hold them because they are really hot. Let the pots cool for three hours.
The hole at the bottom of the pot needs to be covered with aluminum foil and the foil buttered. Put a small piece of foil on the inside of the pot and smooth it out even with the edge of the pot.
|
|
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in very warm water. Let stand until yeast is foamy, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat milk, sugar and salt over medium heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves (or about 2-3 minutes on high in the microwave). Cool to lukewarm (95-105 degrees). Stir milk mixture into yeast mixture. Using a heavy-duty electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, set on low speed (or a heavy wooden spoon) beat in flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a stiff dough forms. On a floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a large, greased bowl, turning dough to coat. Cover loosely with a cloth; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour. Punch down the dough. On a floured surface, roll dough into a long rope. Cut off one-third of dough and set aside. Cut remaining dough into three equal pieces. Roll dough into balls and place in the big pots. Cut reserved dough into three equal pieces, roll into balls
|
|
and place into smaller pots. Place pots on a baking sheet. The dough fills about two-thirds of the terra-cotta pots. You have to adjust the dough ball size to fit different size pots. Cover pots with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough is slightly above the rims, about one hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake bread for 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spread a sheet of foil over the tops of the loaves. Bake loaves until golden and tops sound hollow when tapped (about five minutes for small pots; 15 minutes for large pots). Remove the bread from pots and let cool. Or leave loaves in pots to cool; then decorate pots or wrap in colored plastic wrap, and give as gifts. (Since the bread needs to rise for only two hours and the pots need four hours total to season, bake and cool, start the bread-making part about two hours after the seasoning process and the bread will be ready to bake).
|
