Olive oil bread

Not for nothing is bread known as the staff of life.  Every culture has bread and if you can cook it then you need cook nothing else really.  I've been playing around with bread for ages but could never get a recipe I really liked.  I could get the flavour but it always seemed a little heavy.  I know there is nothing like the smell of fresh baked bread but its got to have the right texture as well.
I was looking on Google recently to find out how long I could safely leave my dough rising when I came across mention of a book called 'Five minute bread' by an American couple called Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.  They claimed that you could make bread without kneading or proving the dough.  Their dough was made to be left in the fridge for up to a fortnight and when you wanted fresh bread you just cut off a chunk and cooked it.  Sounds to be good to be true right?  Well I've made bread from their recipe four times lately and this one is definitely my favourite.  On both occasions I have filled the dough and folded or rolled it.  On the first occasion I rolled it out, spread it with tomato sauce and sprinkled it with grated cheese before folding it twice and making two half pound loafs.  Today I rolled it out and sprinkled it with Tesco's Mexican Style Cheese Filler.  I then rolled it up into a tube and cut it into eight rolls.  Tasting it still warm was definitely one of those culinary OMG moments.  The bread is light and full of flavour and the chilli cheese was the prefect accompaniment.
Here then is there recipe using a quantity to bake twice.  Prepare in advance and try to make it the day before your first bake as the dough is easier to handle refrigerated.

OLIVE OIL BREAD

 



• 675ml/14 fl oz lukewarm water (1/3 boiling : 2/3 cold)
• 3/4 tbsp. granulated yeast
• 3/4 tbsp. salt
• 1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 450g/1lb strong white flour

In a large bowl mix everything except the flour.
Tip in the flour and use a wooden spoon to combine well until there is no flour visible.
Cover the bowl with cling film and poke a few holes in it so its not airtight.
Leave to rise at room temperature for 2-5 hours until it is well risen.
The dough can be used immediately but I then put it in the fridge where it can be kept for up to twelve days and used as you wish.  How easy was that?

When you're ready to bake sprinkle some flour on the work surface and over the dough in the bowl. 
Using a serrated knife cut the dough in half and take one half out.  Re-cover the rest and put it back in the fridge.
Roll out the dough thinly and spread whatever filling you want over it then fold or roll it up.
You will need extra flour as this is a very soft dough.

Place your bread on a baking tray lined with parchment and rest for an hour covered loosely.
After 30 minutes preheat the oven to 200C/400f/Gas 6
Just before baking pour a cupful of hot water into a dish in the bottom of the oven, this helps the crust.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes till done then try to resist them till they cool down.
I did the two loaves on a pizza stone but the cheese can ooze out and burn so the paper is probably a better option.

Next I shall try this dough as a pizza base.  It was would be could filled with pesto, fried onions, meatballs, the list is as endless as your imagination.

Here's the link for the book, its worth having in your collection

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Five-Minute-Bread-revolutionary-kneading/dp/0091938945/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370618839&sr=8-1&keywords=five+minute+bread