I am a big fan of spoon breads (breads you mix up with a spoon as opposed to a yeast bread that needs to be kneaded and rise and be kneaded again and rise again….) A spoon bread can be ready for the oven before the oven is ready for the bread. I was intrigued by a spoon bread that also required yeast but no rise time. After a rainy afternoon spent on the soccer field I wanted a bread that could be ready quickly but also complemented the baked ziti I was making for dinner. Beer breads usually go best with chili or stew but I was willing to give this one a try. As a added bonus, it was easy enough to put together that Princess Leia could actually do most of the work.
Basil Beer Bread from Real Simple
Ingredients
- olive oil for the baking sheet
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (390 grams)
- 1 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan
- 1 12-ounce bottle beer, preferably ale
- flour for the work surface
- 1 cup chopped or torn fresh basil
Get into the habit of weighing your flour. It’s faster, less messy and more accurate.
Directions
- Heat oven to 400° F. Oil a baking sheet. In the bowl of a standing mixer on low, or in a large bowl using a spoon, combine the flour, yeast, salt, pepper, and Parmesan.
Lots of jobs for little hands.
2. Add the beer and mix just until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with the basil and knead gently just until incorporated. Shape the dough into a round loaf and transfer to the prepared sheet.
3. Bake until the loaf is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Turn the loaf onto a wire rack. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
The finished loaf.
The bread looked finished at 40 minutes, but upon cutting it open I realized it needed that additional 5 minutes. Err on the side of overcooking it a bit. It’s so moist it can handle it. I think I would use a slightly lighter beer next time (I used a Newcastle). Fans of ales or darker beers would probably be just fine with the result. That being said, there’s hardly any left post-dinner tonight. Toasted in the morning with breakfast? Absolutely.
PS This is the baked ziti we had for dinner.