Braided Bread

Hi

This time it is bread again!!!!! Well! what do you do when you are feeling low??????? I bake a bread so that i can knead and knead and knead till my blues fly away. not that i am always low when i brake bread :-)The weather here is not so great now, generally cloudy and no great sunshine , that makes me dull and lazy :-(. I know it is a wrong time to bake a bread when we can never be sure if YEAST will appreciate my efforts and rise well!!!But the fresh yeast which i had in my refrigerator was quite forgiving and frothed up really well. Another reason to bake this is my friend Seetha wanted the step by step procedure, could not go over to her place so thought might as well give a detailed procedure virtually!!!!!!!


INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour 4 cups

Fresh yeast 2 Level Tbsp

Sugar 2 Tbsp

Salt 1 Tsp

Melted Butter 2 Tbsp

Warm milk 1/2 cup

Warm water 1/2 cup

FILLING

Onion 1

Bell pepper (Red, Green, Yellow) 1 each

Tomato 1

Tomato puree 3 tbsp

Corn 1/4 cup

Oil 1 tbsp

Mozzarella 2 tbsp

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Oregano 2 tsp

PREPARATION


Mix yeast with half the water and little sugar and set it aside to froth up


Sift the flour with the salt and in a bowl

Combine the remaining milk and water

Add all the ingredients to the flour mixture and mix well. Will look a little sticy.





Now transfer it to a wooden board, sprinkle little flour and knead till dough becomes pliable



Keep it covered in a well oiled bowl and let it rise( nearly an hour in this weather)

Meanwhile chop all the vegetables finely

Cook the corn till soft( i microwaved it for 5 minute)

In a pan add 2 tsp oil, saute the onions till they turn golden brown

Add the peppers and saute for further 5 minutes

Now add the cut tomatoes, tomato puree, salt , chilli powder and fry for few minutes more till the tomatoes turn soft.


Put off the fire and add oregano or any other seasoning of your choice

Preheat the oven at 190 C

If your dough has risen by now , transfer it to a wooden board

Roll it into a rectangle( not very thin)

Keep the filling in the center along the long side

Make serrations on either side as shown

Sprinkle mozzarella on it


Plait it softly covering the filling






transfer it to a oiled tray and let it rise for another 20 mutes

Sprinkle some cheese at the center


lightly apply milk on it. You can give an egg wash for a lovely golden crust too

Bake in the hot oven till the bread turns golden brown( It took nearly 25 minutes in my oven)



Cut, eat and ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Sending this lovely bread to Breakfast club # 5 hosted by Helen of fussfreeflavours.com and Sarah of fingers and toes