Mrs. Elizabeth Ovenstad's Bread

* Exported from MasterCook *

MRS. ELIZABETH OVENSTAD'S BREAD

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 c Boiling water
1/2 c Whole-wheat kernels, or
-wheat berries
1/2 c Warm water
1 tb Sugar
2 pk Active dry yeast
1/3 c Rye flour
1/3 c Whole-meal, whole-wheat
-flour
6 To 7 cups white flour
1 tb Salt
1 c Of warm milk
1 c Of warm water
INSTRUCTIONS
Pour:
2 c Boiling water
Over:
1/2 c Whole-wheat kernels, or
-wheat berries,
(available in health food
-stores)
Allow to stand for an hour
-or two to soften the
-berries.
Proof the yeast as follows:
1/2 c Warm water
1 tb Sugar
2 pk Active dry yeast
While the yeast is proofing,
-combine in a bowl:
1/3 c Rye flour
1/3 c Whole-meal, whole-wheat
-flour
3 c White flour
Drained wheat kernals
1 tb Salt
Add:
Proofed yeast mixture from
-above
1 c Warm milk
1 c Warm water
(Note that you may use the
-water that was used to soak
-the
Wheat berries.)
Knead well, adding
-additional:
White flour

Another recipe from James Beard's book, "Beard On Bread". About this bread
James Beard says, "I learned to make this bread in Norway, at Mrs
Ovenstad's farm near Oslo. She bakes it twice a week, and though she
resorts to heating the dough over steam for the second rising, it comes out
beautifully. She is also a deft pastry cook and gardner, and loves to eat.
(2 large Loaves)"

about 1/2 cup at a time. You may need to add 3 more cups, give or take a
bit.

Form into a ball, place into a greased bowl, turn and cover. Allow to rise
until doubled in bulk, probably about 1 hour.

Punch down and knead 10 minutes, then cut into two equal pieces, form
loaves, and allow to rise again.

You may elect to allow the bread to rise a second time in the bowl. If so,
James Beard feels that the bread may need some help in the second rising,
in the form of a bit of heat. I am not so sure, as this was a very willing
bread dough. Then again, I almost always rise my bread in a Microwave oven
anyway.

As to baking, this bread requires about 1 hour in a 400ø F. oven.

This bread should have a good crunchy crust.

I have made this loaf without the wheat berries, as the crust and bread is
delightful without the berries, and some members of the family refer to
soft berries as "erasers" and hard berries as "rocks" - refusing to eat
bread with either. However, with a bit of practice, you will be able to
use the wheat berries at the right point so they will be neither "rocks" or
"erasers".

Posted originally by Mike Avery



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