One of the pitiful side effects of 25 years of debt-fuelled greed is that we now have a 'forgotten generation'. By forgotten I mean a swathe of population that has forgotten some of the basic, important things in life. Forgotten to talk - to neighbours and friends face to face; to walk - it takes but 20mins to cover a mile on foot; to manage our money - sorry but 0% credit cards as a way of managing money is an appalling idea; and to cook.
The latter is perhaps the most astonishing. Because ready meals are largely putrid overpriced gloop made without love in a factory and because cooking is so mesmerizingly easy. Almost as easy as taking a 0% credit card and falling behind with the payments.
After all, an apple pie is but flour, butter, sugar and three apples. And bread is flour and water for heaven's sake. OK, with a sprinkle of yeast and salt into the mix. But come on!
In today's Metro there's and excellent guide to making your own bread from a new book by Daniel Stephens of River Cottage. And it goes like this...
Basic loaf
Set oven to 260°C.
The formula is 100% flour (1kg) to 60% warm water (600ml), 2% fine salt (20g) and 1% dried yeast (10g).
Mix together. Get lots of air in - knead for 10min. Then shape dough into a round (see main copy).
Rest in mixing bowl in a bin liner.
Leave to ferment, rise until doubled in size (45min to 90min).
Then deflate on your workspace by pressing with fingertips.
Form into another round. If you like, leave to rise again, up to four times.
Finally, divide the dough into two or three, shape again.
Rest for 15min, until almost double in size.
Make two slashes on top of each with a serrated knife. Spray them with water.
Put in oven.
Place a baking tray of hot water at the bottom for steam.
After the first 10min, drop to 200°C-180°C.
Bake until loaves are browned and crusty, and hollow to tap.
Makes two to three
Tips
'The slower a loaf is made, the better it is'
'Don't sieve the flour'
'Try Shipton Mill Organic White flour £1.30 or similar from Doves Farm'
'Don't knead by folding but stretch and pull it far out along the table surface with one hand, bring it back in and turn the ball'
'After kneading shape into a ball, prod with fingers to flatten, pick up the edges, turning inwards, flip over and scoop it from underneath, turn, scoop and turn'
'Spray with a lot of water for an amazing crust'
Related
Find loads more money saving tips like this one in my book
All our money saving tips
Richard Browning
Recent Comments
Ads by google