National Homemade Bread Day: 5 easy-peasy bread recipes
November 17 is observed as National Homemade Bread Day to encourage the art of making homemade bread which is a healthier and more nutritious alternative to factory-made white bread. Around the world and throughout recorded history, bread has been an important part of food culture. Take a look at these lip-smacking bread recipes you can try out at home today.
Sandwich bread
Make dough with milk, flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and butter. Knead it well. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1-2 hours in a relatively warm environment. Punch down the dough to release the air. Then shape it into a large rectangle, and roll it into a loaf. Let the loaf rise for about 1 hour. Bake for 30-34 minutes until golden brown.
Focaccia bread
Mix active dry yeast and sugar and let it rise in a warm environment. Add flour, olive oil, Italian herb seasonings, proofed yeast, and salt to prepare a dough. Cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise. Knead before a second rise. Top it with black pepper, rosemary, and sea salt. Garnish with bell pepper, onion, and cilantro. Bake for 20 minutes.
Soft pretzel or bretzel
Dissolve sugar in water, add yeast and let it rest until it becomes a creamy foam. Make dough with flour, butter, yeast mixture, and salt. Knead it until it's smooth on a floured work surface. Roll the dough into desired shapes. Arrange them on a baking sheet; brush with egg wash and sprinkle coarse salt. Preheat oven to 220°C and bake until golden brown.
Banana bread
Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and butter together in a bowl. Mix flour and baking soda together in a separate bowl; then stir it into the banana mixture. Add salt and pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake in a preheated oven (165°C) until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, or for about 1 hour.
Sourdough bread
Form dough with flour, instant sourdough yeast, warm water, and salt. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rise. Shape the dough and place it in a cast iron pot and shove it into an oven. Preheat the oven. Reduce temperature and bake for 30 minutes before removing the lid for another 30-40 minutes of baking. Cool it and dig in.
