• Eggs
• Butter and oil
• A variety of flours and meals
• Several kinds of sweeteners
• Fruits, nuts, seeds
• Liquors and liqueurs (occasionally)
Testing for Doneness
When the bread has baked almost the minimum baking time, take a look. If the loaves are well browned and the sides have shrunk slightly from the sides of the pans, remove them from the oven. Tap the bottom of a pan to release a loaf. Turn out the loaf into your other, oven-gloved hand. Give the bottom of the loaf a tap; if it makes a hollow sound, it is done. If it makes a dull thud, bake a few minutes longer.
Finishing the Bread
1. When done, turn out the loaves on a wire rack to cool. If you like a softer crust, brush the loaves with melted butter or cover the loaves with a towel as they cool on the rack.
2. Bread doesn’t slice well when it’s hot, but the suspense may be too strong to let you wait. Don’t be disappointed if it’s a bit doughy inside. The texture will improve as the bread cools. In any event, be sure to wait until the bread is thoroughly cool before wrapping it. Happy eating!
Yield: 2 loaves
Note: Whole-wheat and rye flours make dough that is stickier and less elastic than white-flour dough. It has been kneaded enough when it feels resilient. When rising whole-wheat and rye dough, covering with a dampened towel helps prevent a crust from forming on the top.
Your Favorite Pan
If you don’t have the pan called for in a recipe or want to make individual portions of quick bread, use a different container; porcelain, earthenware, and metal will work. The times are meant as a guide. Watch the bread carefully.
Types of Bread
Yeast bread may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of homemade bread, but many other types are worth trying and tasting as you explore and expand your breadmaking skills.
Batter: Batter bread is beaten, not kneaded. With a heavy-duty mixer, you can make superb breads with little effort. They have a coarse crumb, a chewy texture, and a cratered surface like a lava flow. They have a yeasty flavor (they need more yeast because the gluten that supports rising is not completely developed by kneading).
Quick: Quick breads are almost effortless. Most are sweeter than many yeast breads, contain fruit and/or nuts, and are leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda. They have a crumbly, often crunchy texture.
Sourdough: Yeast-leavened breads are relatively recent. For thousands of years, people leavened bread by tearing off a piece of dough and using it to start the next day’s batch. These breads, which require use of a sourdough starter, are coarser and chewier and have a heavier crust than yeast breads.
Quick Breads
Company coming and time is running short? Quick breads are the perfect way to say “welcome” with fresh goods from the oven. Quick breads, risen with baking powder or soda instead of yeast, are fun to make and, because they are so easy, lend themselves to experimentation. Bake them fruit-studded and herb-scented as tea loaves, or whip up some savory dinner breads with shredded vegetables, sausage, and peppers. Leftovers, spread with unsalted butter or cream cheese, make wonderful breakfast or lunchbox treats.
Basic Quick Bread
This basic recipe can be enhanced with different flours, spices, nuts, seeds, and fruits. It is not very interesting as it stands, so use it as a guide to create your own special breads.
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
1 egg
¾ cup milk
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg and mix well. Stir in the milk and add the liquid mixture quickly to the dry ingredients. Stir just enough to moisten completely. Spoon the mixture into a greased 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F (177°C) until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Yield: 1 loaf
Additions: Be creative! Stir in fresh or dried fruit and nuts. If you use fruit puree, use a little less fat. If you add or substitute an acidic ingredient, such as applesauce or buttermilk, compensate for it by adding ½ teaspoon baking soda.
Homemade Pasta
Fresh pasta has a taste and texture so much richer than those of dried pasta that it’s worth the extra preparation time.
Simple Fresh Pasta
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
1. Mound the flour on a smooth work surface or in a very large bowl and make a well in the center.
2. Beat the eggs and pour them into the center of the flour (adding salt, if desired). Using a fork or your hands, combine the mixture until it is blended and a ball forms.
3. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and supple — about 5 minutes longer. (If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon flour and knead the flour into the ball. If the dough feels too hard, add 1 drop at a time of beaten egg or vegetable oil.)
4. Lightly grease a piece of plastic wrap with vegetable oil. Place the dough in the wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.
Pasta dough can be made quickly and easily in a food processor.
Mixing in a Food Processor
1. Place the flour in the food processor bowl, and with the motor running, add the eggs one at a time.
2. Process until the mixture forms a ball.
3. If the dough seems too sticky, add 1 tablespoon flour and process for 10 seconds until incorporated. Then process for 40 to 60 seconds longer.
4. Remove the dough and wrap it in greased plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest for at least 15 minutes before rolling it out.
Rolling by Hand
1. To make the dough more manageable, divide it into four pieces and place them on a lightly floured surface.
2. Roll each piece into a rectangle. The dough should be 1/8 inch thick for noodles or 1/16 inch thick for ravioli, cannelloni, tortellini, lasagna, manicotti, and any other “stuffed” recipe. (If you lay the rectangle on a clean tea towel and you can see the design of the towel through the dough, the dough is approximately 1/16 inch thick.)
3. To make noodles, roll the rectangle lengthwise like a jelly roll and slice off 1/8-, ¼-, or ½-inch widths for noodles or 2- to 4-inch widths for lasagna.
Although pasta dough can be rolled out by hand, it’s much easier to get thin pasta when you use a machine.
To make cannelloni or manicotti, cut the rectangle into 4-inch squares and drop them into a large pot of boiling water. When the squares come to the top, remove them immediately and place them on a clean towel. When the excess moisture has been removed, lay the squares on a tablecloth and fold the cloth so that it comes between all the squares. They must not be touching. If the pasta is not going to be used during the next hour, place the folded tablecloth in a plastic bag and refrigerate the pasta for up to two days.
To make ravioli, cut the rectangle into 1½- to 2-inch squares, fill the squares with a prepared stuffing, top each with another square and crimp the edges, and then place them in a single layer on a lightly oiled or floured tray. Refrigerate until ready to use, or freeze. When they are frozen, pack them into plastic bags and seal. Cook in the frozen state.
Rolling by Machine
1. Cut the rested dough into four pieces; flatten and lightly flour each piece as required. Keep all but one piece wrapped in the plastic to prevent them from drying out.
2. Set the pasta machine at the widest setting and run a piece of the flattened dough through the machine. Repeat at this width four times, folding the dough in half each time.
3. The dough will now be thoroughly kneaded, and the rollers can be set closer together for each successive rolling to obtain the desired thickness.
4. Once the pasta has reached the desired thickness, allow the sheet to stiffen somewhat (without drying out) before running it through the cutter. Repeat for the remaining pieces of dough.
Yield: 1 pound
Variations
• Substitute semolina durum wheat flour for the whole amount of all-purpose flour and use four eggs.
• Use only two eggs and add ½ cup pureed vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, beets, carrots, or red or yellow bell peppers. Combine the vegetables with the eggs before adding them to the flour.
• Substitute whole-wheat, buckwheat, triticale, rye, or semolina flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose flour and add ½ cup pureed vegetables.
• Add ¼ to ½ cup chopped fresh herb, such as parsley, basil, lemon thyme, or tarragon (a strong flavor — try 2 to 4 tablespoons the first time). If using dried herbs, add only 2 to 3 tablespoons.
Cooking Perfect Pasta
Figure on ¼ pound of pasta per person. Use 4 to 6 quarts of water to every pound of pasta; cook in a large pot with room to spare. (The extra space prevents the pasta from sticking together and helps it cook faster.) The addition of 1 teaspoon of oil will keep the strands from sticking.
Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat (add 1 tablespoon of salt, if desired) and put in the pasta all at once. Using a wooden fork, stir gently to separate the strands or shapes. Return the water to a rolling boil; keep the pot uncovered and lower the heat to medium to prevent it from boiling over.
The pasta is done when it is tender but firm. The Italians call this al dente — firm to the bite. Cooking time varies according to the pasta: thick or thin, small or large, dried or fresh. If it’s homemade (fresh or dried), it may take as little as 2 minutes, so check frequently. When commercial dried pasta is used, follow the directions on the package, but choose the shorter time listed and start testing (by tasting) several minutes before the end. This way, you’ll be assured of getting perfectly cooked al dente pasta.
Drain pasta in a colander and serve immediately. When cooking manicotti, lasagna, or shells, drain and deposit on a clean tea towel to blot dry before use in a stuffed recipe. Do not rinse pasta unless it is to be chilled for a cold salad.
Grow Your Own Beer
Homebrewers today can buy most of what they need in homebrew supply stores, and this is a great convenience for all concerned. But if you have a little land, or even a sunny porch, you can grow enough of your own hops, herbs, and adjuncts to make a real contribution to the flavor, aroma, and uniqueness of your homebrew. Everything you need to make beer can be grown in garden-sized plots, including grains for malting.
Barley in Your Backyard
Growing some of your own grains for homebrewing will seem excessive to some people, but it’s really not that complicated. A standard garden sized plot of 800 square feet can easily produce enough barley in one year for five full all grain, 5-gallon batches. It can produce enough for at least 30 homebrew batches if you use a partial-mash recipe.
The greatest advantage of home-malting (whether or not you grow the grain yourself) — beyond the simple satisfaction of the act — is that you can bring the cost of brewing a batch of beer down to almost nothing. Unmalted grain (from a local farmer or feed store) costs pennies a pound. With a little work, you can transform the humble material into the finest, freshest beer-making malt available.
Barley is the king of all beer-making grains. Most barley is now used for animal feed. Up to a third of the barley grown in the United States is for malting; this barley is mostly bearded six-row varieties in the Upper Midwest and two-row varieties grown in the Pacific Northwest and Great Plains regions. The terms six-row and two-row refer to the number of rows of seeds on the spike of the seedhead.
Small Plot, Big Yield
A plot of ground measuring just 20 × 40 feet will produce a bushel of barley in one planting. Since a bushel weighs approximately 47 pounds, one crop of barley on an average garden plot can produce the grain ingredients for up to five batches of all-grain beer or 30 or more batches of extract or partial mash. On a smaller scale, if growing intensively in good garden soil in raised beds with frequent watering and good sun, a grower can expect roughly 5 to 15 pounds of grain per 10- × 10-foot bed.
two-row barley
six-row barley
The greatest advantage of home-malting (whether or not you grow the grain yourself) is that you can bring the cost of brewing a batch of beer down to almost nothing.
Harvest. When the grain is ready to harvest, the stalks should be golden; the individual grains should be hardening and difficult to dent with a fingernail but not brittle. They will have lost about 30 percent of their water content at this point. The ears will be bent over. The grains will be pale yellow and will easily pull off the head. Wait until the grains are perfectly mature before cutting the stalks and curing them in the field. The stalks will need to be threshed (bashing bundles of grain to separate the grains from the dried seedheads) and winnowed (using a fan to blow away the chaff) before they can be used for malting. Store the grain in burlap sacks in a cool cellar until it’s needed.
Homegrown Hops
Although hops aren’t grains like barley, they are a major ingredient in beermaking. They are also attractive plants that make great arbors, wreaths, and arrangements. Every home-brewer who owns a piece of land should try his or her hand at growing a few hop vines.
When you grow your own hops, you can pick them at their absolute peak of readiness. As soon as hops are picked, they start to lose the essential oils needed for good flavor and aroma. The best way to know that hops haven’t been sitting on a shelf for a year is to grow your own. Commercial whole hops, the least processed form available, have been cut down, run through a packing machine, dried, baled, shipped, repackaged, and shipped again before reaching the homebrew store. Inevitably, some of the hops’ bitter resins and essential oils are lost during processing. Your own hops will never have to run the gauntlet, making them fresher, more aromatic, and better for brewing than any you could buy. The aroma alone will be enough to convert you, to say nothing of the flavor.
bine
cone
The aroma of homegrown hops alone will be enough to convert you, to say nothing of the flavor.
Harvest. Hop cones should be picked at their peak of readiness, which means that you have to pay attention to how they are developing. The most obvious sign of readiness is the development of lupulin glands — small yellow grains clinging to the base of the bracts. A mature hop cone will be heavy with this yellow powder. When you begin to suspect that the hops are nearing maturity, pick a cone and pull or cut it open. The lupulin should be a dark yellow-gold, and there should be a strong hop aroma.
If you want to dry your crop, do it as quickly as possible after the harvest, to preserve the essential hop oils. Warmth, no sunlight, and good air circulation are all that’s required. Once the hops are picked, they should never again be placed in direct sunlight, or even strong artificial light. Light-struck hops will impart skunky off-flavor to beer.
Once the hops are completely dry, seal in freezer bags with as much air as possible squeezed out. If you plan to use the hops right away, you can place them in the refrigerator. Otherwise, freeze all bags.
Hops are easily grown on trellises in small spaces.
Basic Barley Malting
Barley malting is best done in late fall or winter, when temperatures are cold. The temperature of the malting area should be around 50°F (10°C), if not cooler. There are two reasons for this, both having to do with the final quality of the malt. Warm temperatures cause germinating barley to bolt, or grow very rapidly into a green shoot. Warm temperatures also encourage molds, mildews, and fungi that can grow on wet grain.
To malt barley, you’ll need some basic equipment. Some of the items on the list are handy but optional; others are vital. This basic malting procedure is for 5 pounds of barley grain.
• Two 5-gallon plastic buckets
&nb
sp; • One 5-gallon plastic bucket with 1/8-inch holes drilled in the bottom
• Close-fitting (but not airtight) lid for the plastic bucket with holes
• Large metal or plastic spoon• Thermometer
• Notebook (for recording procedures)
• 20-pound scale (optional)
• Aquarium pump with air stone (please buy a new one, rather than reusing an old one; algae and fish waste don’t mix with beer).
Malting Equipment
bucket with drilled holes
spoon
5-gallon buckets
thermometer
scale
aquarium pump with air stone
1. Clean the grain. Weigh out 5 pounds of barley and pour it into a 5-gallon bucket. Fill the bucket with water, stir the grain, and allow the chaff and debris to float to the top. Pour off the debris and repeat with fresh water as needed.
2. Steep the grain for a total of 72 hours. Cover the grain with at least half a gallon of water at 50°F (10°C). Change the steeping water after 2 hours (by pouring the grain and water through the perforated bucket into the second 5-gallon bucket), and every 12 hours thereafter. If an aquarium pump and air stone are used, the water needs to be changed just once every 24 hours.
Steeping the grain
3. Germination. Drain the grain thoroughly in the sieve bucket (the one with holes drilled in the bottom). Pour about a gallon of water into the 5-gallon bucket, then put the air stone into the water and turn on the pump. Set the sieve bucket full of grain into the plastic bucket. The temperature of the grain should never exceed 68°F (20°C). After about three days of germination, rootlets will begin to grow, and the acrospire, or shoot, should be visible as a bulge under the husk. Once the acrospire has grown to two-thirds the length of the grain, it should be couched.
Germinating grain
4. Couching. This process prevents the acrospire from growing by denying it oxygen and allows enzymes to convert the grain starches into fermentable sugars. Turn off the aquarium pump and seal the sieve bucket with a lid. Turn the germinating mass once a day to prevent heat and carbon dioxide buildup. Couch the grain for one to three days.
The Backyard Homestead Page 20
