Restaurant Bread

Restaurant Bread

Poolish

1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup rye flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup semolina flour
1 cup bread flour (white)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sugar (turbinado)
2 cups water (room temp) bottled drinking water, if tap water is too hard or soft

Above into mixing bowl, mix hard by hand with wooden spoon or a large fork for 2 minutes, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let ferment for 5 hours or up to 24 hours at room temp. Can also retard in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months: bring to room temperature before using.

Dough

Into mixer bowl:

Above polish

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, mix on low speed for 30 seconds, continue mixing and add

1 cup bread flour mixed with 2 teaspoons salt, mix 1 minute then add white bread flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix 1 minute after each additional 1/2 cup flour.

Stop adding flour when the dough pulls away from the mixer bowl walls. Continue kneading on low speed for 7 minutes to 10 minutes. Put into lightly oiled bowl to ferment until double in size. Remove from bowl, punch down gently and shape (baguettes or rolls or flat bread or into loaf pan) and let ferment/proof until: 1) double in size for baguettes and rolls 2) 1 1/2 inches above top of loaf pan, and 3) 30 minutes if flat bread.

Immediately after shaping, for baguettes and rolls: slash tops. Brush with egg-white wash (1 egg white, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon water mixed together), and sprinkle with poppy seeds and rosemary. While wash is wet. Let proof as stated above, covered or uncovered, in warm place.

NOTE: HEAT OVEN TO 450 degrees f. 1 HOUR BEFORE BAKING TIME

BAKE:

Baguettes, rolls, and flat bread at 450 degrees f for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size (thickness)

Loaf-bread in loaf pan at 450*f for 7 to 10 minutes then at 375 degrees f for 10 to 30 minutes.

Should get a hollow sound when thumping bottom of loaf, if not done, replace in pan and bake a little longer…your get your timing down after a few loafs.

NOTE: YOU CAN SPRAY A MIST OF WATER ON THE DOUGH AND ON THE OVEN WALLS WHEN YOU FIRST PLACE THE DOUGH INTO OVEN; IT AIDS IN CRUST FORMATION.

COOL ON WIRE RACK: baguettes, flat-bread, and rolls 5 to 10 minutes and loaf bread for 20 to 30 minutes.

OIL DIP FOR BAGUETTES AND FLAT-BREADS: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon of following: ground black pepper, paprika, sweet basil, ground chipotle pepper, crushed dry oregano, and sugar, 1/2 teaspoon each of graded parmesan cheese and graded Romano cheese. Sometimes I add crushed red pepper, but not much, (try it without first) and some poppy seeds. Taste test: if you want it less spicy, add a little more olive oil or melted butter (warm before serving if you add butter). Mix or shake well before placing into individual dipping platters. Discard after a week.