French Bread

French Bread

(My Aunt Kathy’s recipe…great with any pasta dish and even better made into garlic bread.)

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups warm water

2 Tb yeast

3 Tb sugar

1 Tb salt

1/3 cup melted shortening (vegetable oil can be substituted here and olive oil for health,but keep in mind it adds a distinct flavor to the bread…most people don’t even notice, but some may and half of those will probably really like it.)

6 cups flour

2-3 egg whites

Instructions:

In large mixing bowl combine warm water sugar, salt, shortening and yeast, add half of the flour and beat until smooth. Add the remaining flour and mix well. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Stir dough down and let rest another ten minutes. Repeat this for a total of five times. Divide dough in half for larger loaves or in thirds for more normal size loaves. Shape loaves (This may take some effort to figure out how to do well. Try pulling into a longer shape and tucking the any stray flaps underneath the loaf. Alternatively if the surface is well floured you may be able to roll the dough into long logs by alternatively rolling and pulling the ends.) Put the shaped loaves on cookie sheets. Blend the egg whites until they are liquidy and less gelatinous. Brush the loaves generously with the egg whites and then slash the top of the loaves with a sharp knife 3-4 times each. (You are only making a small cut in the loaf to make the loaves look professional) Preheat oven to 375 F. Let rise until they have doubled in size (30 min- 1 hour) Bake at 375 F for 30-35 minutes until tops are golden. (If a softer crust is desired omit the egg whites and butter the bread immediately after you remove it from the oven.)

For Garlic Bread:

Wait until the bread has cooled. Cut in laterally in half (so there is a top and a bottom half). Then spread garlic butter mixture and salt and place in 375 F oven for 7-10 minutes.

Garlic butter:

One cube of butter melted and 1-2 cloves of garlic minced (or 1-2 Tb of Garlic powder)