White Loaf

Photo: flickr user Jason Riedy

Ingredients

1 pound Strong flour

2 teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon Fast action easy-blend yeast, (1 to 2) granules

2 tablespoons Olive oil

pint Warm water

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the liquid ingredients. Draw the flour into the centre and mix well, until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl, or mix in a food processor.

Turn on to a floured surface and knead for five minutes. Shape the dough and put it into a lightly greased 2lb loaf tin. Cover loosely with lightly oiled clingfilm and allow to rise in a moderately warm place for about half an hour, until doubled in size.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Turn on to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

To make your own recipes, these are the proportions: 1tsp salt to 1/2lb flour, and half liquid to flour. 1lb of flour will make 12-18 rolls and these will bake at the same temperature in about 15 minutes.

Flavourings can be mixed in just before you knead the dough. Try onion and rosemary, spring onion and cheese, sun-dried tomatoes or chopped olives.

Enriched sweet bread can be made by adding 2tbsp dried skimmed milk powder, 2-3tbsp honey or sugar and 2 free range eggs. To this you can add cinnamon and walnuts, chopped dried apricots and almonds, dates and brazil nuts, mixed dried fruit and candied peel or saffron and sunflower seeds.

NOTES : Makes a 2 lb loaf