Water 2 Wine Blog : Round Rock

Chianti Pine Nut Bread

• 3.5 cups of bread flour
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup W2W International Series Chianti
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup softened butter
• ½ cup raw pine nuts

1. Mix together on the counter top, 3.5 cups of bread flour, 2 teaspoons active dry yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Make a well in the center.
2. Lightly beat together 1 cup of room temperature Chianti, one large egg, and 1/4 cup softened butter.
3. Pour the wet mixture into the center of the dry mixture and knead, adding more flour as needed to achieve a smooth dough.
4. Knead. Knead. Knead. Knead some more until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Knead in 1/2 cup of raw pine nuts.
6. Form the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume. Depending on how cold or warm your house is, this could take up to five hours.
7. Punch down the dough and form into an oval loaf. Dust the outside with flour. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise once more until doubled in volume. Again, this could take another five hours.
8. Preheated the oven to 375°F. With a sharp knife, make decorative slashes on the surface of the loaf. (I think I went a bit too crazy with it.)
9. Bake the bread on a baking stone dusted with cornmeal or a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper.
10. Every 10 minutes or so, throw a few ice cubes onto the oven floor to create steam.
11. The bread should be browned, crusty, and sound hollow when tapped after 40-45 minutes in the oven.
12. Remove the bread from the oven and let the finished loaf cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.