Meyer Lemon & Fresh Mint Peace Peasant Bread

I’ve decided to do some bread ‘artistry’ to make give my peasant breads more personality.  I’m not an artist by any means, but I can draw circles and lines and make some basic designs!  Growing up in the 1960s meant I got a lot of practice making the ‘peace’ symbol…thought it’d be cool on this bread…had some Led Zepplin and Jimmy Hendrix music playing while I was making the bread, so the kitchen was rockin’! 

 

 

 

 

 

 Makes:  One large peasant loaf

PreHeat oven to 375 

 

 

 

 

 

What you need: 

2 pkg yeast

½ cup water (110-120 degrees)

1 ½ cup plain yogurt (microwave 10”)

½ cup buttermilk

2 tbl oil (canola)

1 tbl chopped fresh mint

2 tbl Meyer lemon zest

2-3 tbl Meyer lemon juice

½ cup sugar

1 tsp sea salt

4 ½  cups white or wheat all-purpose flour (divided—2cups for kneading)

1 cup milled flax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What you do:

In a large mixing bowl, put yeast.  Add warm water and whisk until well blended.  Let stand for about 5 minutes.  Add yogurt, buttermilk, oil, mint, lemon zest and juice.  Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, baking soda, salt, flour, and flax.  Whisk together well all ingredients.  Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixing thoroughly with a whisk and/or spatula.  Add remaining dry ingredients.  Batter will be a very thick gooey consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

Sprinkle about ½ cup flour on kneading surface.  Dump dough on to this surface.  Sprinkle another about ½ cup of flour on top of the dough.  Knead about 5 minutes adding more flour as needed as dough thickens and becomes a more ‘play dough’ like consistency.   Shape into a ball.  Place in a clean mixing bowl that has been coated with cooking spray.  Allow to rise about 2 hours or until about double in size.

Add more flour to surface.  Dump raised dough onto surface and knead another 3-5 minutes adding flour as needed.  Form into desired loaf shape, but keep it ‘organic’ and rustic looking.

 

 

 

 

 

Make slits or design on top cutting with a sharp knife just slightly into dough.  Bake 55-65 minutes in preheated 375 oven.  If top starts getting too brown, place a loose foil tent over it.  When done, remove and allow to rest at least 15 minutes before cutting.  Well, if you can wait that long!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©2012 Alice D’Antoni Phillips   Ally’s Kitchen