This bread tastes like heaven...and it is beautiful to look at! Love the fun addition of the fennel seeds (they add an interesting flavor!). Rip it apart by hand and enjoy warm!
Hungarian Split Farmhouse Loaf
Ingredients:
4
cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp salt1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 T sugar
4 tsp yeast
1 1/8 cups lukewarm water
2 T butter, melted
pinch of salt
2 tsp fennel seeds, for sprinkling
Topping:
1
egg white
Makes
1 loaf.
1.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. Sift the flour, salt, crushed fennel, and sugar
together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.
2.
Cream the yeast with a little water, stir in the rest, then pour into the
center of the flour. Stir in sufficient flour to make a runny batter. Sprinkle
more of the flour on top, cover and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes, or
until the sponge starts to bubble and rise.
3. Add
the melted butter and gradually mix in with the remaining flour to form a dough.
Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 – 10 minutes until
smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled
plastic wrap and leave to rise, in a warm place, for 45 – 60 minutes, or until
doubled in size.
4. Turn
out on to a lightly floured surface and punch down. Shape into an oval and
place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and
leave to rise, in a warm place, for 30 – 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.
5.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 F. Mix the egg white and salt together, and
brush this glaze over the loaf. Sprinkle with fennel seeds and then, using a
sharp knife, slash along its length. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven
temperature to 350 F and bake for 10 minutes more, or until sounding hollow
when tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
