Garden Herb Loaf

From "Seasoned Loaves", Country Gardens Early Spring 1996

3½-4  cups all-purpose flour
3  Tbsp. sugar
2  pkg. active dry yeast
1½  tsp. salt
¼  tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
¼  tsp. dried thyme, crushed
¼  tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
½  cup water
¼  cup milk
¼  cup butter
1  egg
1  Tbsp. butter
Dried marjoram, thyme, and rosemary (optional)

In large bowl combine 1½ cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary.  In saucepan heat and stir water, milk, and ¼ cup butter until warm (120° to 130°).  Stir into flour mixture. Stir in egg and enough remaining flour to make soft dough.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead in enough remaining flour to make dough smooth and elastic (4 to 6 minutes).  Place in greased bowl; turn once.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes).

Punch dough down.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface.  Divide into 3 equal portions.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Roll each piece into 30-inch rope.  Braid ropes; pinch ends to seal.  Loosely coil braid to form round loaf, tucking ends under.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 40 minutes).

Bake in 375° oven 30 minutes or until lightly brown; cover with foil last 10 minutes to prevent overbrowning.  Melt remaining butter and brush over loaf.  If desired, sprinkle with dried herbs.  Remove from baking sheet.  Cool completely.  Makes 1 loaf.

Breadsticks with Rosemary and Sage

From "Seasoned Loaves", Country Gardens Early Spring 1996

1½  tsp. active dry yeast
1  cup warm water (105° to 115°)
1/8  tsp. sugar
3-4  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1  tsp. salt
¼  tsp. ground white pepper
2  Tbsp. olive oil
1  Tbsp. snipped rosemary
1  Tbsp. snipped sage
Olive oil

Stir together yeast, ¼ cup warm water, and sugar.  Let stand 10 minutes.  In large mixing bowl stir together 3 cups flour, salt, and pepper.  Make well in center.  Add yeast mixture, remaining water, 2 tablespoons oil, rosemary and sage.

Using a fork, gradually draw flour into liquid in well.  When dough is too stiff to stir with fork, turn out onto lightly floured board.  Knead in enough remaining flour to make moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes).  Shape into ball.  Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once.  Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Divide dough into 3 pieces.  Roll 1 piece into 12x10-inch rectangle.*  (Refrigerate remaining dough.)  Dust dough with flour and fold into thirds.  Set pasta machine on widest opening and pass dough through.  Pass through widest setting again, flouring dough as needed.  Reset on narrower setting; pass dough through, folding as necessary.  If dough is too large to work with, cut in half and work with 1 piece at a time.  Repeat machine rolling and flouring until dough is about 1/16 inch thick.  Dust dough with flour; pass through ¼-inch-wide blade to cut into strips.   Strips should be 12 to 16 inches long.  Place ½ inch apart on greased baking sheet; shape into curves or twists as desired.

To create twists or braids, twist 2 strips together or braid 3 strips together and seal ends.  Brush with olive oil.  Bake in 400° oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.  For longer storage, wrap, label, and freeze.  Makes about 5 dozen single breadsticks.

* If you don't have a pasta machine, cut dough rectangle into ¼-inch-wide strips with straight-sided pastry wheel or pizza cutter; proceed as above.