Fresh from the oven: from a millet-raisin loaf to a caramelized onion focaccia, there's a flavored bread for every occassion

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 1998 by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Who can resist the aroma that fills your kitchen as bread bakes or the intense flavor of a fresh-from-the-oven slice? Slather it with jam. Use it to soak up a delicious sauce. Or just enjoy it plain, steaming hot and tender.

Despite the enormous appeal of freshly baked bread, making it at home is regarded by many as a "noble" hobby, pursued only by die-hard bakers. Even cooks who are quite adept in the kitchen view bread baking as a time-consuming task, ill suited to the hectic pace of modern life. However, what they don't realize is that bread making takes only 20 minutes of hands-on activity. Beyond that, the dough is either rising or baking, requiring no effort on the part of the cook. So, in fact, bread baking is not only easy, but one of the most satisfying cooking activities one can undertake. And the flavor possibilities are endless.

The recipe collection that follows runs the gamut from simply flavored breads, such as our millet wheat loaf to bolder ones like our caramelized onion flatbread and sweet potato and pecan loaf. Some of the recipes can be made in a bread machine (instructions are included). As a rule, serve plain breads with assertively flavored meals and vice versa. And since bread has a way of disappearing quickly when it's homemade, fresh and hot, be sure to make plenty of it.

Millet-Raisin Wheat Bread

2 LOAVES (20 SLICES) DAIRY-FREE

Millet is a pale-yellow, high-protein grain that is cultivated as a staple in North Africa and Asia, where it has been farmed for at least 6,000 years. In Europe and the United States, it is grown mostly for animal feed, but it is available for your baking needs in natural food stores.

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
3/4 cup millet (see glossary, p. 127)
1 Tbs. honey
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups bread flour (see glossary, p. 127)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup hot water

Combine 1 1/2 cups water and millet in bowl of heavy-duty electric mixer or in large bowl. Let sit for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow millet to soften.

Stir in honey. Sprinkle yeast over mixture, stir and let sit 2 minutes. Add flours and salt. Mix with dough hook or knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, until dough is silky and resilient.

Meanwhile, put raisins in small bowl, add hot water and let stand until plump, about 10 minutes.

Drain raisins and mix or knead them into the dough until thoroughly incorporated. Transfer dough to lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down, re-cover with plastic wrap and let rise again 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 [degrees] F. Grease two 8by 4-inch loaf pans or generously dust baking sheet with whole wheat flour.

Place dough on lightly floured work surface and cut into 2 equal pieces. Shape dough into oblong loaves. Alternatively, shape it into 2 loaves or 14 to 16 rolls. Place loaves in prepared pan or on baking sheet. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 20 minutes. Uncover loaves and, using a spray bottle, spritz them with water and dust with whole wheat flour. Make 2 or 3 diagonal slashes in tops of loaves with serrated knife. Using a spray bottle, spritz the oven walls with water. Work quickly so oven does not lose heat.

Set pans or baking sheet on middle rack in oven. Bake 35 to 40 minutes (20 to 25 minutes for rolls). The bread is done when the crust is dark and firm and the loaves sound hollow when their bottoms are tapped. Let bread cool in the pan or on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer loaves to wire rack and let cool completely.

Per slice: 140 cal.; 4g prot.; 1g total fat (0 sat. fat); 306 carb.; 0 chol.; 293mg sod.; 26 fiber.

Bread Machine Instructions

1. Combine ingredients in bread pan in order specified by manufacturer's instructions.

2. Process on whole wheat medium setting. Reprinted with permission from Flavored Breads by Mark Miller and Andrew MacLauchlan. Copyright 1996. Ten Speed Press, P.O. Box 7123 Berkeley, CA 94707.

Sweet Potato and Pecan Bread

2 LOAVES (20 SLICES) LACTO

This bread is a delicious accompaniment to vegetable soups and stews. It can also be made into a larger braided loaf.

2 sweet potatoes
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 cup toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 375 [degrees] F. Bake sweet potatoes 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place water, milk and olive oil in bowl of heavy-duty electric mixer or large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over mixture, stir in and let sit 2 minutes. Add diced sweet potato, both flours, salt and maple syrup. Mix with dough hook (or knead by hand) 4 to 6 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.

Add pecans and mix or knead 2 minutes. Transfer dough to lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm. draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.