Bread Therapy

So today is Tu bi Av. Lovely to spend it alone, feeling miserable and listening to the sound of the rain outside, isn’t it?

So the whole day I was working on my computer feeling like you know what. Finally, I realized that I had to do something therapeutic.

So I decided to make the bread as dark as my mood. Well, sort of.

In any case, I decided to experiment with bread – no small thing. Bread is very tricky for me, especially because I do everything by hand. I don’t have a standing mixer, so all the mixing, the kneading, etc is done by my not-so-strong hands.

So the experimental bread consists of:

2 eggs + about a half for brushing

1.5 Tbsp dry yeast

1 Tbsp brown sugar

A bit more than 2 cups very warm water

About 3 Tbsp of olive oil

2 cups white flour + a bit more for kneading after the first rise

2 cups dark rye flour

1 cup rolled oats

3 Tbsp flax seeds

2 tsp salt

Optional – za’atar, crushed walnuts, caraway seeds.

In a small bowl I have put a cup of water with all the sugar and the yeast and let it rise for about 5-6 minutes.

Once I saw the yeast working, I took the eggs, mixed them with one cup of flour and the rest of the water, and then after adding the yeast minute, added the rest of the ingredients. I knead the dough for a few minutes in a bowl I was making it in adding about a tablespoon of oil just on my hands, and let it rest for about an hour covered with plastic wrap loosely and then kitchen towel.

When I opened it, it had risen so nicely!

Now, the hard work began.

The dough was quick wet and sticky, so I had to knead it for at least another 10 minutes. Finally I split it into three parts. I have added za’atar to one, caraway seeds to the other, and walnut pieces to the third one.

This is not the dough you will roll to make challot unless you want it to be a bit dry. I didn’t. So, I just shaped it very roughly and put it into oiled forms.

I glazed them with egg-wash and sprinkled with more seeds.

The dough rested for another 20-25 minutes. I have preheated the oven to 420F and backed the loaves for about 10 minutes. Then, I’ve reduced the temperature to 350F and baked for another 20 minutes or so.

Boy, is it delicious! Couldn’t stop eating it, had to pull myself away from it. No condiments needed. Planning to freeze one for Shabbat.