Dough Anarchy

Video Killed the radio Star, let’s hope not the food blogger.

The last time I made lardy bread I really thought this would make a useful video as the lardy bread is quite a unique technique. Rory actually did some of it last time but I needed him on the camera (iphone).   The dough in question is made with;

• 2 cups of  ‘ye olde Oregon 1847’ starter (400g which=500ml due to bubble content) , fed the night before, so bubbling
• 5 cups of white flour
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 tblsp salt

All mixed briefly, left to rest, knocked back (after 30 minutes rest) a couple of times  on an lightly oiled surface (and with oiled hands) . Total 5-6 hours, then the video bit. After the loaf creation the breads were left 2-3hrs in an air conditioned room (24C), and baked at 250C for 15 mins, then to 225C for 15min then 210C to finish. The lardy bread I put lower in the oven as the sugar burns easily- foil might help here.

Rye dough (1/2 quantity of above)

• 1 cup starter
• 1 .5 cups white flour
• 1 cup rye flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tblsp salt

The spice mix is ground black pepper corns, cardomen and cinnamon in roughly equal quantities. The original inspiration was from a cardomen lard bun/ roll at Peter’s Yard in Edinburgh. I had some Garam masala (which is those spices plus cumin), but thought the cumin could go, et voila. I use about a heaped teaspoon in the bread shown.

If you have a nervous disposition, cardiac conditions, vertigo, etc, then this is probably not for you. It’s a lightening Floydesque on acid type affair. I was watching Nigella for about 2 minutes before jiggling bosoms were outweighed by her stiff presentation and irritating  jaunty camera work. Now, they don’t have a bloody six year old holding an iphone with lard smeared hands. Do they?

Three Breads from one lump of dough;

1. Fruit loaf
2. Spiced lardy bread
3. Plain sourdough