I got the bread started early in the morning, then started on some spinach fettuccine for lunch. Since I was going to have the pasta roller out, I thought it would be a handy tool for rolling crackers for Liam. He loves eating crackers for a treat and will even bring me the container from the shelf in the pantry. Homemade crackers are so much better than store bought and I can like to make them when I am going to have the oven on anyway.
This was a basic white cracker (I wanted to make them whole wheat but forgot), with a little salt sprinkled over top.
I tried two recipes, Kalamata Olive Bread and Pecan Levain, each making two loaves.
It pairs nicely with a glass of Cabernet.
Pecan Levain
Wow..these breads look really good! I've been meaning to try the 5-minute a day artisan sourdough recipe that appeared in Mother Earth News a while. I'm a bit skeptical when it comes to anything "quick" being delicious.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - the crust on your bread looks amazing!
Thomas - I tried that recipe from Mother Earth News one time. I wasn't happy with the bread, but I only tried it once. I've been baking bread for a long time and just got into the artisan breads. Sourdough is my favorite to work with now. I actually think it is easier than yeast breads because it doesn't require as much kneading. You just let the sourdough starter ferment the dough, shape and proof then bake. To get the thick, crunchy crust I preheat the oven with a casserole dish of boiling water. This starts getting the oven steamy. Just before putting the loafs in the oven, I slash the tops with a razor knife and spray them with water.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments.
Ken, those look amazing!!!! I had a weird thing go on with my sourdough starter so I let it go and am hopefully going to start another one today.
ReplyDeleteI might have to put that book on my amazon wish list or at least see if it is at the library. :)
Have a great day!