A flush of winter has blown (perhaps better said ‘is blowing’) through home country in southwest Montana late this week and perhaps even into the weekend.
Talking with friends and neighbors back home it’s hard to ignore the long sighs that precede and follow any discussion of the weather, even when we agree that building snowpack is still a great idea this time of year.
Two people emailed yesterday hunting comfort food recipes (corn chowder and braised short ribs) to help stave off the ‘dammit it’s still snowing late-winter-early-spring’ blues.
When our friend Ed gets cranky more cranky this time of year (he always does) he tends to stop by more often fishing for a steaming cup of coffee and slice of bread hot from the oven. He’ll even call ahead and order suggest that we get one of his favorites in the oven.
This Cherry and Pine Nut Tuscan Bread is probably the one he asks for most often and every damned time he’ll remind us to toast the pine nuts just so.
If you’re battling the winter blues this weekend, shoveling snow or chipping ice out of your guides on the river, think of these crusty peasant loaves hot out of the oven. Be nice to your baker or just get it done yourself.
3 cups water
1 1/2 tbsp. active dry yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
7-8 cups unbleached white flour
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/2 cup dried cherries
Make the sponge. Mix well in a large bowl the water, yeast, sugar and 3 cups flour. Cover with plastic wrap and set on the counter for a minimum of 3 hours (up to overnight) until a spongy dough forms.
Make a dough. Add the salt and the remaining flour by cupfuls until you have a soft dough, stir in the pine nuts and cherries. Turn out on a floured board and knead for 7-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Proof. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap (there’s no oil in the dough) and let rise until doubled (60-90 minutes).
Shape and proof. Shape into two round peasant loaves and place on greased cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal; let rise until doubled in size (45-60 minutes).
Bake. Score several shallow diagonal slashes on the top of each loaf and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 27-30 minutes.
Enjoy.
