BREADS

PITA BREAD

  1. Sift the flour and salt, add the sugar and mix. Add the instant yeast and stir through.
  2. Beat the milk, yoghurt, egg, water and oil together and then add to the dry ingredients. Mix until it comes together in a smooth dough.
  3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
  4. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a clean dishcloth and let it prove (set aside to allow the dough to rise) for about 15 minutes in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough again until smooth.
  6. Divide the dough into eight pieces and knead each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball with the palm of your hand until it is about 20 cm diameter.
  7. Preheat the oven to 190°C and sprinkle some flour evenly over a large baking tray.
  8. Arrange the pitas on the baking tray, leaving space for each circle to spread. Place the pitas in a warm spot to prove for about 10 minutes.
  9. Bake for approximately 10 minutes until the breads are light brown. Quarter each pita and serve with dips of your choice, such as hummus.

MAKES 8 PITAS

RAISIN BREAD

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a standard bread pan and set aside.
  2. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together until combined and pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake for 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
  4. Remove the bread from the oven. Run a knife along the sides of the pan to loosen the bread and turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

FUN FACTS

Bananas, mangoes, peaches and avocados are often pollinated by bats.

MAKES ONE STANDARD LOAF

BANANA BREAD

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a standard bread pan and set aside.
  2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
  3. Continue beating and add one egg, mix well and then add the remaining egg and mix until combined.
  4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until combined.
  5. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla essence and mix well.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan and bake for approximately 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
  7. Remove the bread from the oven. Run a thin knife along the sides of the pan to loosen the bread and turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

TIP:

You can freeze the bread in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you want to eat the bread, remove it from the freezer, let it defrost completely and then reheat for 15 minutes at 120°C.

MAKES ONE STANDARD LOAF

OAT BREAD WITH HONEY

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a standard bread pan and set aside. Sift the flour and salt together, add the oats and mix.
  2. Add the instant yeast and stir through.
  3. In separate bowl, mix the oil, honey and water together and when combined, add to the dry ingredients and mix together.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan, cover with a clean dishcloth and let it prove (set aside to allow the dough to rise) in a warm spot for about 20 minutes until it has doubled in size.
  5. Bake for about 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.

FUN FACTS

It takes 12 honeybees to produce one tablespoon of honey.

MAKES 1 STANDARD LOAF

ROUND CHEESY BREAD ROLLS

  1. Lightly grease a standard baking tray and set aside for later use.
  2. Stir together the yeast, sugar and 50 ml of the warm water until the sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture stand for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
  3. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the oil and the yeast mixture as well as the remaining warm water (100 ml) and mix until it comes together in a soft dough.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth.
  5. Flatten the dough into a circle and sprinkle the Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top.
  6. Fold the the dough circles in half over the cheeses and then knead again until the cheeses have been incorporated into the dough.
  7. Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces, and using your hands, form the dough into round rolls.
  8. Arrange the rolls about 4 cm apart on the baking tray and set aside for 20 minutes or until the rolls have doubled in size.
  9. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C.
  10. Lightly brush each roll with some egg and decorate with some seeds. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until light golden.

MAKES 12 ROLLS

BREAD STICKS

  1. Using a metal spoon, mix half the flour (210 g) and all the remaining ingredients (except the whisked egg and spices) together.
  2. Continue mixing, adding the remaining flour bit by bit until the mixture comes together in a stiff dough that cannot be mixed anymore.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough into a ball.

  4. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a clean dishcloth and let it rest in a warm place to prove (set aside to allow the dough to rise) for approximately 1 hour, until it has doubled in size.
  5. Knead the dough again and then roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1.5 cm.

  6. Cover the dough with a clean dishcloth and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Grease a large baking tray and set aside.
  8. Cut the dough into 24 × 1.5 cm strips. Roll each strip between your hands to form long, rounded sticks. Brush each stick with some of the whisked egg.

  9. Now roll the sticks in your favourite flavouring as suggested below.

  10. Arrange the sticks on the prepared baking tray and bake for approximately 15 minutes until light golden-brown.

Some suggested flavourings: sea salt, dried herbs, garlic flakes, Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds.

MAKES 24