Anonymous Fri Oct 07 16:50:15 2005

1 oz Fresh yeast; -=OR=-

2 pk -Instant dry yeast granules

1-1/4 c Warm water (125F)

2-1/4 c Unbleached white flour

1/4 c Whole wheat flour

IN A LARGE BOWL, DISSOLVE the yeast in the water. Mix the 2 flours and stir them in to

make a soft dough. Knead 10 minutes by hand, or 4 minutes in a heavy duty mixer with a

dough hook. Oil a clean bowl and set the dough in it, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let

rise until doubled in bulk. (In the traditional warm place, this will take about 2 hours.

However, a cooler temperature will do as long as the dough has enough time to rise,

including overnight in the refrigerator.) If the dough is ready sooner than it is needed, punch

it down and refrigerate it or let it rise slowly again at room temperature until ready to use.

Rub 2 to 3 tablespoons flour into a lintless dish towel and set the towel on a baking sheet.

When the dough has completed its rising, punch it down, turn it out onto a floured work

surface, and flatten it into an oblong about 8 inches wide, 10 inches long, and 1/4-inch

thick. It will still be very soft, but try to use a minimum of additional flour in handling it.

Roll the dough tight, jelly-roll fashion, into a cylindrical shape. Flatten this to about 1-inch

thick and roll it again. (This activates the web of gluten that will keep the loaf from flattening

out in the oven.) FOR A ROUND LOAF, tuck both ends of the cylinder under to meet in the

center, pinching to seal them. Roll the dough around the work surface under your hands, to

shape it into a smooth ball about 5 inches in diameter. FOR AN OBLONG LOAF, roll the

dough under your hands into a fat cigar shape, extending it to about 10 inches in length.

Set the loaf on the floured towel and fold the ends of the towel loosely around it. Put the

covered loaf, on its baking sheet, in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. Preheat an oven lined

with baking tiles to 400F. Have a water-filled sprayer handy. Slide your hand under the

towel, pick up the loaf, and gently deposit it upside down on the tiles. Spray water into the

oven before closing the door, and spray twice more at 2-minute intervals. Bake f

or 50 minutes or until golden brown. The bread should have a hollow sound when you

knock on its bottom. Makes 1 Loaf TOM MARESCA AND DIANE DARROW - PRODIGY

GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK