BREADS - TOMATO BREAD

Two slender loaves or two 8.5 x 4.5 loaves

3 to 3 ½ cups bread or all-purpose flour, approximately

1 package dry yeast

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon tomato juice

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon caraway or other seeds

MIXING

In a large mixing bowl or a mixer bowl measure 1 cup flour and the yeast; stir.  Pour the tomato juice into a saucepan, add the butter, salt and sugar, and warm over a low heat (120F to 130F) to melt or soften the butter.  Pour the tomato blend into the flour and beat with 50 strokes with a wooden spoon, or for 30 seconds at low speed with a mixer flat beater.  Add ½ cup flour and beat 150 strong strokes with the spoon, or for 3 minutes at moderate speed with the mixer.

Continue to add flour and beat by hand with a spoon or with the mixer dough hook.  The dough will be a soft mass that cleans the sides of the bowl.

KNEADING

If by hand, Turn the dough onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour, and begin the kneading process – push-turn-fold.  If using a dough hook in a mixer, knead until the dough is a soft ball gathered around the revolving hook.  Knead by hand or mixer for about 10 minutes.  Add sprinkles of flour if moisture should break through.  The dough should clean the sides of the mixer bowl.  

FIRST RISING

Place the dough in a buttered or greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside until the dough has doubled in bulk, 1 hour.

*** If prepare with new fast-rising yeast/instant yeast and at the recommended higher temperatures, reduce the rising times by about half.

SHAPING

Turn the dough onto the floured work surface and divide into 2 pieces.  Pressing down with your palms, roll each piece back and forth so that it becomes a long, slender cylinder about 18-inch long and 2 ½-inch wide.  Place on the baking sheet.

SECOND RISING

Cover with wax or parchment paper and leave until the loaves have doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375F about 20 minutes before baking.

BAKING

Brush the loaves with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the caraway seeds or other seeds.

Place on the middle shelf of the moderate oven.  When lightly browned and tapping the bottom crust yields a hard, hollow sound, they are done, 30 minutes. 

***If using a convection oven, reduce heat 50F.

FINAL STEP

Remove the bread from the oven.  Place on a metal rack to cool before slicing or freezing. 

From Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads.