The World's Greatest Bread

World's Greatest Bread

In the morning before leaving for work (Mommy) and Tess's house (Abbie) put the following dry ingredients into the bowl of the food processor:

3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cup semolina flour

2 tsp salt

1 tsp quick rise yeast

Pulse together to blend dry ingredients. Just once or twice. No, you do not need to keep pushing the button again and again. Why? Because the ingredients only need to be mixed a little bit. Why? Because there are just a few ingredients and they don't need much mixing? Why? That's just the way it is.

After dry ingredients are blended together slowly pour about 1 1/2 cups of cool water into the food processor while the food process is on. On, not pulsing. The 'on' button is all the way to the left. Why? Why what? Why the 'on' button? Because we want the blade to whirl continuously while we pour the water in. Why? Because if we only pulse it then there might be too much water in one spot and not enough in the rest and the dough will not be right. Why? Because pulsing allows you to stop while using the 'on' button does not. Why? That's just the way it is.

Dump the sticky (Yes, it's very sticky. Yes, you'll need to wash your hands when you're done. No, a napkin will not remove all of the dough, you'll need to wash your hands. Why? Because the napkin is merely paper and will fall apart before all of the dough is removed from your hands. Why? That's the just way it is.) dough from the bowl of the food processor into a large bowl. Cover the dough with a towel. No, do not press the towel into the dough, just rest the towel on top of the bowl. 

Go to work/Tess's house. Make arrangements with the nanny so that after the girls awaken from their nap, the nanny will help the girls wash and lightly flour their hands and place the dough on a slightly floured surface. The girls can then knead the dough (kneading is not actually necessary but since kneading dough is so much fun, we like to include the step.) After kneading (or not kneading), form the dough into a ball and slightly flatten it. Cover with a towel and let rest.

When Mommy comes home, preheat the oven and bread baking vessel, including the lid (we like to use a dutch oven Gramma bought for us at a thrift store in Sequim) in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, gently score the bread with three or four cuts on the top. Why? Because it allows the steam to escape from the dough while it bakes. Why? Well, if we didn't have those little cuts on the dough then the bread might explode and look all misshappen. Why? That's just the way it is. Carefully remove the vessel from the oven (the vessel is very, very hot so you should stand behind this line when Mommy opens the oven door.) Place a piece of parchment paper under the bread dough and slowly lower the dough into the vessel. Place lid on vessel and put in oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove vessel lid, lower temperature to 450 and bake another 20 minutes.

Best when warm, but tasty good the next day and even the day after.