BASQUE SHEEPHERDER'S BREAD

3 cups very hot tap water
1/2 cup (1/4 lb) butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 pkg active dry yeast
9 to 9 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Salad oil

In a large bowl, combine hot water, butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until butter has melted; let cool to about 110 degrees. Stir in yeast, cover, and set in a warm place until bubbly (about 15 minutes).

Beat in about 5 cups of the flour to make a thick batter. Stir in enough of the remaining flour (about 3 1/2 cups) to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out onto a floured board; knead until smooth and satiny (10 to 20 minutes), adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Place dough in a greased bowl; turn over to grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).

Punch dough down and knead briefly on a floured board to release air; shape into a smooth ball. With a circle of foil, cover the inside bottom of a 5-quart cast-iron or cast-aluminum Dutch oven. Grease foil, inside of Dutch oven, and underside of lid with salad oil.

Place dough in Dutch oven and cover with lid. Let rise in a warm place until dough pushes up lid by about 1/2 inch (about 1 hour -- watch closely).

Bake, covered with lid, in a preheated 375 degree oven for 12 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes or until loaf is golden brown. Remove from oven and turn out onto a rack to cool (you'll need a helper). Peel off foil and turn loaf upright. Makes 1 very large loaf.

User Contributed Notes /Basque/Food/Recipes/bread.html	add a note
Total number of notes for this page: 5 Currently viewing page 1 of 1 page of notes
blas at buber dot net 12-Apr-2009 15:54 #9427 KB, send me a photo and I'll add it. Blas
k b in klamath at mail dot Nospam dot com 07-Mar-2009 13:44 #9259 Wonderful recipe....100% success....wish i could post a picture.... Thank you so much for this....we are at 4500 ft. also.
MmmBread at notarealaddress dot com 01-Jul-2007 22:36 #5568 Thank you SO MUCH for this wonderful recipe! I live in Santa Fe, and due to the high elevation (7000'), I've had a great deal of trouble with baking breads. This recipe turned out perfectly, and it has inspired me to bake again.
janedoe at mail dot NOSPAM dot com 07-Apr-2007 21:00 #4937 I have used this recipe for 30 years. I lost it for about 2-3 years and, through the wonder of the internet, and thanks to our intrepid Buber, I have recovered the identical recipe. My kids LOVE this bread. My friends and neighbors marvel at it and clamor for it. Thank you so much for posting this wonderful recipe which comes out perfect, every time!
ivystratton at hotmail dot com 01-Oct-2006 13:09 #3716 We have used this recipe and it is fantastic!
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Last updated: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 - 14:40:52

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