Bake bread, soothe the soul

(Homemade bread is a blessed thing)

"Man doth not live by bread only"

That well-known quote from the Bible is certainly true, but when it comes to homemade bread, sometimes I think I can. (OK, I would need to add some red wine, Italian cheese, hot peppers and olives, maybe some pasta to the list, then I would be content for quite awhile!)

Nothing warms the hearth like a freshly baked loaf of bread from the oven. The intoxicating aroma of this simple staple of life is truly reason to be glad you are alive.

Everyone seems to be in such a hurry these days, running from place to place and grabbing meals on the run. If you can find a couple of hours in your busy day to relax and make a loaf of bread, you will satisfy a basic need and soothe the soul in the process.

As a child, I awoke each Saturday morning to the aroma of fried bread dough wafting up the stairs to my bedroom. The pizza frite was a breakfast treat my mother made with pieces of bread dough, fried to a golden brown in a cast-iron skillet, then drained and sprinkled with a little sugar. My mouth waters at the mere thought of that lazy weekend treat.

My mother made bread just about every Saturday — enough loaves to feed the family and a few lucky neighbors, who would inevitably stop by for an early morning visit, drawn by the scent that drifted out the windows.
She would work the dough with those strong peasant arms of hers in an old-fashioned porcelain child's bathtub, punching, kneading and stretching the mix until it felt "like a baby's behind."
I always got a little piece of dough to play with and shape into a mini loaf for my favorite doll. Those warm memories also shaped the way I think about bread, and food in general, today.

(A loaf of freshly baked bread and bean dip are perfect mates)

Homemade bread really is quite simple to make.
There are many recipes out there that call for multiple risings, starters and more that could take hours and hours until you have a finished loaf on the table.
But sometimes, less is more.

This easy recipe requires only one rising. If you have a large stand mixer, such as a KitchenAid, let it do all the work. All you will have to do is form the dough into a ball and bake.
Of course, getting your hands and arms into the mixing of the dough can be a good workout for the body and mind, and rekindling those childhood memories.

I recently made this recipe and a batch of white bean dip. Paired with a glass of wine, the combination was divine.

For the bread:

1. 1 cup white flour
2. 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 1 tablespoon yeast
5. 4 tablespoons Smart Balance (olive oil or softened butter can be substituted)
6. 1 1/2 cups water
   

• Mix the two flours and salt in the mixer bowl; then add dry yeast (no need to dissolve yeast in water first; just mix it in dry) and Smart Balance.
• Mix with the dough hook until the shortening is combined, then slowly add the water until it forms a dough.
• Set the mixer on low and allow it to mix for about 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and not sticky.
• Pat the dough with a little flour and let rise in the same bowl, covered for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a pizza stone on the lower rack.
• When the dough has risen, quickly work it into a ball and score a cross on top with a sharp knife or razor blade. Place it directly onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until crusty and golden brown (the loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom).
• Let cool on a wire rack if you can wait that long before slicing.
  

White Bean Dip with Roasted Garlic and Spinach

• Roast a perfect head of garlic in the oven (slice off a bit of the top, drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper; wrap in tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until soft and gooey).
• Meanwhile, quickly pulse two 15-ounce cans of cannelli beans (drained and rinsed) in the food processor until chunky.
• Saute a minced shallot or two in a tablespoon or so of olive oil until it sweats.
• Add a couple handfuls of fresh spinach that has been washed and patted dry. Let the spinach cook until wilted.
• Scrap the the spinach mixture into a large bowl with the beans.
• Squeeze in the roasted garlic.
• Add a splash of Tamari; season with salt, pepper, a dash of red pepper flakes and some freshly chopped parsley and basil. Mix well.
  

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top of the bean dip and that hot, crusty bread you just pulled from the oven.

Raise your glass of wine and give thanks for the simple things in life.

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.”

— Robert Browning (1812-1889) English poet