Making bread easily

When we live in a city we get use to so many commodities that you forget that the most basic things are exactly that; basic and easy.

There was a time when I used to get up flying in the morning to the corner shop just because the bread was finished (here everyone likes fresh bread or toasts for breakfast). Actually it is so dead easy to make your own fresh bread (and so cheap and healthy) that I wonder what I was thinking of on that time, instead of making my own.

Here is my own recipe, it is very basic but you can adapt it to your own needs.

Ingredients:
750 gr of stoneground wholemeal flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 sachet of fast action dried yeast
A pinch of salt
(If you like it add seeds, nuts, raisins...whatever you prefer)

I mix the flour, olive oil and yeast into a bowl where I also add some warm water. I knead altogether for around 5 minutes or a bit more and I cover it (back in the bowl) for a couple of hours. After these two hours have gone I add the salt and the seeds, we use linseed as they seem to be really healthy, then I knead it for around 5 minutes more. I give the shape of two loaves and I put them on the tray where I will cook them. I leave them to rise for a couple of hours more in a warm place. Afterwards, I just put them inside a preheated oven at 220 degrees for around 25 minutes.

This is enough for two big loaves. I usually do it in the evening and then they are fresh for next morning.