Since my posting in the last letter I have been advised that it is o.k. to
post the entire recipe. I had feared that to do so would be a copyright
infringement.
The recipe is from the September 2003 Margaret Stewart's Living magazine.
My family loves the bread's flavor and density.
Whole Grain Oat Bread
1 cup steel-cut oats
2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup bulgur wheat
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup warm water (about 110 F.)
1 envelope active dry yeast (1 scant tablespoon)
1 and 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
Unsalted butter at room temperature for bowl and pan
1-1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
In a medium bowl, cover steel-cut oats with the boiling water and let stand
until room temperature. Stir in bulgur wheat and honey; set aside. Place
the warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water. Let stand until
foamy, about 5 minutes.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the
reserved oat mixture with the yeast mixture, whole-wheat flour and salt.
Add the all-purpose flour until the dough is tacky, but not sticky.
Continue kneading about 5 minutes more.
Place the dough in a buttered bowl and cover with buttered plastic wrap
directly on the surface. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk,
about 90 minutes, or refrigerate overnight.
Turn out dough onto a clean work surface; form into a loaf about 9 inches
long. Lightly mist with water; sprinkle with rolled oats. Place in a
well-buttered 9 by 5 by 2-1/2-inch loaf pan; let stand until doubled in
bulk, abut 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Using a serrated knife, slash top of loaf lengthwise
down center. Place in oven immediately. Bake until nicely browned and
cooked through, about 1 hour. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.
I use the overnight method for the first rise and allow the dough to come
to room temperature before continuing (takes at least an hour). The loaf is
unbelieveably heavy. If you make this bread, be sure to toast a slice or
two. You will not be sorry.
Jerry Ulett