Italian-ish Herb Bread

2½ tsp yeast
4 cups flour
1½ TBSP gluten
2 tsp salt
2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP butter, in small pieces
2 TBSP buttermilk powder
1½ cups 2% milk

Herbs:
1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
2½ tsp finely chopped fresh thai basil
1 TBSP finely chopped fresh thyme
3 TBSP finely chopped fresh oregano

Mix really well. Cover & let it raise for 40 minutes. Grease two cast iron frying pans: one 6”, the other 10”. Butter the pans, and pour some oil into the bottom. Swirl the oil around the bottom of the pans.

Divide the dough 2/3 and 1/3. Shape carefully, and place upside down in the frying pan to cover the top with oil, and then invert to right side up. Sprinkle interesting seeds on top and let it raise until it’s doubled, about 40 minutes.

Bake in a pre-heated, 350° oven for 22 minutes, or until the bread is done. Enjoy hot with fresh butter.

Black Pepper Anise Seed Bread

Inspired by D & C

Load into the bread machine:

1½ tsp yeast
2 cups bread flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup rye flour
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
3 tsp anise seeds
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tsp oat bran
1½ TBSP gluten
1½ TBSP sugar
1½ tsp salt

Mix thoroughly. Add:
2 TBSP butter
1½ cups whole milk; maybe a bit less.
Machine on Dark, fire it off, enjoy.

Review: Anise seed is strong; pepper is very faint. Make these changes:
* Replace whole wheat with all white flour recipe; perhaps the milk bread?
* Slightly more pepper: maybe 1½ tsp.
* Less anise. Maybe 2 tsp.
* Definitely make into smaller loaves, as per below:


If cooking in the oven, use the KitchenAid and these instructions:
Mix really well. Cover & let it raise for 40 minutes. Grease two cast iron frying pans: one 6”, the other 10”. Butter the pans, and pour some oil into the bottom. Divide the dough 2/3 and 1/3. Shape carefully, and place upside down in the frying pan to cover the top with oil, and then invert to right side up. Let it raise until it’s doubled.

Bake in a pre-heated, 350° oven for 22 minutes, or until the bread is done. Enjoy hot with fresh butter.