When I was younger, my mom frequently used her bread-maker to make fresh bread and strawberry mango jam on Sunday mornings in the summertime. I loved the jams that she used to make and yearned for the weekend mornings when I would awake to the wafting smell of syrupy strawberries circulating from the kitchen. Needless to say, I was more than heartbroken when I heard the unfortunate news that our precious bread-maker had ceased to work. Fast-forwarding many years to today, my craving for homemade bread remerged. But, I faced a huge dilemma: I found myself without a bread-maker and lacking in the ingredients to make jam. The once revered sourdough bread topped with delectable preserves was out of the question; however, I could make a type of bread by baking a buttery rendition of Cracked Pepper Foccacia. Dilemma solved!
Step 1: Mix Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper,
Yeast, and Water Together
Step 2: Stir in Flour to Mixture and Put
Into Ball; Let Rise for 45 Minutes
Step 3: Stretch Dough Into Pan; Spread
Rosemary, Thyme, and Salt On Top
Step 4: Bake, Slice, and Serve With
Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil
I was amazed at how well this bread turned out (especially considering the fact that I baked it for a few minutes too long!). Personally, I think this tastes best when fresh out of the oven. Although I liked the rosemary and thyme spices combined with sea salt, I’d like to experiment with other items from the flavor palette next time. Perhaps some kalamata olives, peppers, sundried tomatoes, or whole garlic cloves for next time?
Cheers!
