Apple hearth bread - country living

1 loaf (6 se

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1½ cup To 1 3/4 C unsifted all purpose flour
1 pack Rapid-rising dry yeast
½ teaspoon Salt
⅔ cup Very warm water (120' to 130'F)
½ cup Olive oil
1 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon Butter
1 large Golden Delicious or other sweet firm apple, peeled, cored, & cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
¼ teaspoon Coarse (kosher) salt (opt.)

Directions

1. In large bowl of heavy-duty electric mixer, combine 1½ C flour, the yeast, and salt. Slowly beat in water, ¼ C olive oil, and the honey; vigorously beat mixture 10 minutes. Cover bowl with clean cloth and let dough rise in warm place, away from drafts, 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt butter. Add apple slices and saute until very lightly browned; set aside.

3. After dough has risen 40 minutes, turn out onto floured surface.

Gently knead in as much of remaining ¼ C flour as necessary to form a very soft dough-about 1 minute. Gently work apple slices into the dough.

4. Lightly oil large baking sheet. With floured fingers, shape dough into a 9-inch round on oiled sheet. Cover with clean cloth and let rise in warm place, away from drafts, until double in size-about 30 minutes.

5. Heat oven to 400'F. With pastry brush, coat top of dough round with 2 T olive oil; sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hearth bread is browned.

6. Drizzle hearth bread with remaining 2 T olive oil and serve warm.

Country Living/Sept/92 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & <gg>

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