Pasta Dura Bread

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

• 600 grams (or 4 metric cups) No Knead Pasta Dura flour
• 2 teaspoons No Knead natural improver
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon No Knead dry active yeast (slightly rounded)
• Fine semolina for dusting

Liquid Ingredients:

• 500ml very warm water (you will probably not use all of this water)
• 2 teaspoons No Knead cold-pressed oil (We recommend Cold Pressed Sunflower Oil.)

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together and make a well.
2. Pour in ¾ of the liquid and the oil, then mix thoroughly, adding small amounts of water until you have a stiff moist dough. (Note: 50 to 100mls may be left over.)
3. Cover the dough with cling wrap and allow it to double in size. (Approximately 30 minutes)
4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board or flat bench.
5. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, then divide it in half. Shape each half into a smooth ball. Slash dough 2 or 3 times with a sharp knife or blade to increase crust, then dust with semolina.
6. Lightly oil a 700-gram Pre-Seasoned bread tin.
7. Place both halves of dough into the tin, spray with water, and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.
8. Allow loaves to rise for 15-20 minutes, then place in a COLD oven and set the temperature to your normal bread making level (see below).
9. Cook for 30-35 minutes until golden and floury looking. Turn out onto a cooling rack.
10. To clean your bread tins, wait until cool then wipe out with paper towel.

Temperatures:

• Electric: 220°C
• Fan Forced: 200°C
• Gas: 215°C

Note: Olive oil is a viscous oil (becomes sticky when heated) and is not recommended to baste our tins with before baking your bread. We use and recommend Cold Pressed Sunflower Oil.

Handy Hint: For slightly heavier bread, omit the second rise and place the bread into a cold oven immediately.