Sheepherder's Bread

Sheepherder’s Bread

This recipe, borrowed from Basque sheepherders, is light, sweet and pleasing to the eye. The recipe is written for 1, 5-quart (5 L) Dutch oven. Place the loaf on a bread board and let your guests cut themselves a chunk. They’ll love it! It can also be baked in 3 small, round casseroles. The loaves then fit nicely into a bread basket.

3 cups                 warm water

¼ cup                  vegetable oil

¼ cup                  sugar

2 tsp.                   salt

2 tbsp.                 instant yeast

9 – 10 cups          flour

1. Measure water, oil, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast with 3 cups flour. Mix well. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour and knead to make a firm dough that is smooth and not sticky. May take MORE or LESS flour. Place dough in a large, greased or sprayed bowl, turning dough to coat evenly. Cover dough and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
2. Punch dough  down and knead briefly to release air. Shape into a smooth ball, Generously grease or spray the inside of a Dutch oven and the inside of the lid, too. Place the dough in the Dutch oven and cover with the lid. Let stand in a warm place until the dough raises the lid by only ½” (Do not let it over-rise.
3. Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Rmove lid and continue to bake for another 20 minutes. Turn out and cool on a rack.

NOTE: If the loaves over-rise, the lid may fall off during baking, creating an irregular shape, but not affecting the wonderful flavor. To retain their shape, the loaves must come cleanly out of the casserole without sticking

Black Currants & Caribou, page 49

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