Pumpkin bread with herbs.

Bread.
The basic food of all eras and people worldwide.

And the best thing is when we make it ourselves.
How relaxing is the procedure of kneading with hands –this soft, chewy knead that doubles its size.
Well, at least when you are not bored as I was this time and preferred the mixer to do the job! Duh…

What a warmth and comfort surrounds you when bread is baked.
What a deep, relaxing smell fills the rooms.
What a tempting noise is the cracking of the hot crust.
And how stupid of me –and I know a lot people too doing it- to insist on trying some hot bread when it has just come out from the oven, burning my tongue and blowing hilariously inside out as if it will cold a little bit!

Well, who can really resist to its earthly taste.
Eating it plain.
Or with cheese.
Or with anything.

And always having the satisfaction of making it on your own.
This basic food.
A food that is made with the power of fire, the precious water and the grains that earth keeps on offering us.

Isn’t it magic?

This pumpkin bread is delicious.
Slightly sweet and amazing for sandwiches. I made it in muffin mould and what was left, was put in the refrigerator that keeps them fresh for a long time.

INGREDIENTS
By Realfood magazine, issue number 10 (November 2010)
For a 12 muffin mould

•    3 ½ cup of all purpose flour
•    1 tsp salt
•    1 tbsp dry yeast
•    1 cup of hot pumpkin puree (peel off the pumpkin skin, take off the seeds, chop it in cubes and pour them in a pot with water and boil them until they soften. Drain them –keep some of the water, look below- and make a cup of puree and the rest of the cubes keep them in the refrigerator for other creations!)
•    1 tsp oregano
•    2 tbsp honey
•    ¼ cup of olive oil
•    ½ -2/3 cup of warm water (the one that the pumpkin boiled in. Be careful not to be hot but just warm –as long as you can keep your finger into it, is just fine, if you can’t it’s too hot and it will not allow your bread to rise, so be careful!)
•    The recipe asked for 1 tsp of rosemary, but I didn’t use any because I didn’t like it in this particular recipe. Do as you like!
DIRECTIONS
1.    Put flour, salt, yeast, oregano (and rosemary, if you use it) in the mixer bowl.
2.    Add honey, oil and pumpkin puree.
3.    Start beating with the yeast beaters slowly and add just a little bit of the pumpkin water. Don’t pour it all at once because it may not be needed. Just add a few drops every time until you get a non sticky, soft dough.
4.    Beat the dough for almost 10’ and then cover it with a clean towel. Leave it for 2 hours until it doubles in size. Then, give it whatever shape you want –I put it to a 12 cupcake mould –greased- and leave it to rise again for 20’, covered with a towel.
5.    Preheat the oven at 356ο F and bake them for 25’ or until you get a nice golden crust. If you shape the bread into a big loaf then you’ll have to bake it for at least the double time.
6.    Take them out of the moulds and let them cold.

Tip: if you prefer kneading with hands rather letting the mixer do the job, follow the same directions, just double the kneading time from 10’ to 20’.

You might also like:

Easy bread with beer

18th’s century quick little breads