DILL & ONION BREAD

Dill & Onion Bread image

Your family will thank you for the great smells coming from your kitchen when you bake this bread. I use a bread machine to mix my ingredients when making homemade bread, because I have arthritis and fibromyalgia and can no longer knead bread dough very easily. So, the ingredients are listed in the order they go into my bread machine. I promise you this will still work even if you don't use a bread machine. The techniques I use makes a wonderful crust outside with soft center. Perfection! I hope you will give it a try.

Provided by Julie Bailey @julesbai

Number Of Ingredients 13

Previous Next

Ingredients

1-1/2 cup(s) water, room temperature
2 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoon(s) coarse salt (sea salt or kosher)
4 cup(s) bread flour (reserve about 2 tablespoons for kneading later)
2 tablespoon(s) dried minced onions
2 tablespoon(s) dried dill weed
2 teaspoon(s) yeast, active dry
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT/ITEMS USED:
- parchment paper
- spray oil (butter flavor preferred)
- coarse salt to sprinkle
- bread machine
- dutch oven with heat-safe lid (or 4 to 6 quart casserole dish)

Steps:

ADD ingredients to your bread machine in the order listed.
Select 'French/Italian Bread' setting on the bread machine menu. Push START.
Allow bread machine to work through the first mixing cycle (about 45 to 60 minutes), then allow it to enter into the second mix and rise cycle just until the machine stops mixing and begins the rise stage (about 20-minutes). REMOVE from bread machine and handle gently, kneading 5 or 6 turns on floured surface to shape for the baking pan (Dutch oven or casserole dish heat-safe to 500-degrees). Do not over-mix but make sure the dough is coated with flour.
Tear a piece of parchment paper larger than the baking container. Set it into a large bowl for the dough to rise before baking. Lightly spray the parchment with oil and lightly sprinkle coarse salt on the oiled parchment paper.
SET the dough onto the parchment paper in the large bowl. Score 2 or 3 times with sharp knife if desired then cover with either a cloth or oiled plastic wrap. Set the bowl in a warm area of the kitchen, probably near your stove. Allow to rise for about 45-minutes.
About 30-minutes into the dough rising, PRE-HEAT oven to 450-degrees and set the empty Dutch oven (or casserole dish) with heat-proof lid on top, into the oven to get hot (takes about 15 to 20 minutes). You will transfer the dough, parchment and all, into the hot Dutch oven when it finishes rising.
When dough finishes rising, remove Dutch oven from the hot oven (do not leave oven door open while transferring dough to the baking dish). Remove the lid and gently lift and transfer the dough including the parchment paper into the hot Dutch oven. Place the lid back onto the Dutch Oven and set it back into the hot oven.
BAKE for 30-minutes with the lid on. At the 30-minute mark, take bread out of oven. Remove the lid. Remove the parchment paper. RETURN bread to the Dutch oven without a lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until a nice golden crust forms.
REMOVE from oven when done. Cool for at least 10-minutes before serving. STORE cooled bread in a bread bag or plastic storage bag.