Soooooo you want to know what is kinda fun and hilarious to watch? My wife dancing to P!nk's "So What" on our Wii. Shakin' her butt as if she were up on stage with the rock star herself. It's awesome, especially when the dog gets confused and feels like he NEEDS to save his mom from... convulsing? Having a seizure? Whatever. It's hilarious and fantastic and I love it.
Let's talk about bread. Cozy, stretchy, savory bread. Bread in a bowl, no less. It's contained, warm, and incredibly appealing when you can't stand to hear the meteorologist tell you how your town is running out of road salt.
This bread is crazy tasty, blooming with fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil. It's great toasted by itself, or as a vehicle for cheese, scrambled eggs, or even a BLT.
You're a creative kid. I know you'll think of something to eat it with.
Spicy Garlic Bread (in a pot!)
1 cup warm water (about 110-120 degrees F)
1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 big pinch of granulated sugar (yeast food!)
4 oz unsalted butter, melted
a palmful of fresh chives, minced
a palmful of fresh thyme, minced
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced (think: Good Fellas)
20 oz of bread flour (plus more for the work surface)
a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt
olive oil
coarse sea salt and red pepper flakes (for topping)
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Gently stir in the sugar and wait to foam for five minutes. If the yeast mixture does not foam, throw it out and begin again.
Melt butter in a small saucepan and add the red pepper flakes, herbs, and garlic. Stir to combine and set aside to cool a little.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the yeast mixture and the butter mixture all at once and mix on slow speed for 10-12 minutes. The dough ball should clean the sides of the bowl and not stick to the bottom. It should be firm and smooth.
Place the dough ball into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area for about 1 hour, when the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Once the dough has had time to rest and double, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 2 minutes. Cut a deep cross in the top of the dough.
Work 2 tablespoons of olive oil all over the bottom of a deep dutch oven. Put the dough ball in the pot and drizzle with another two tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes and coarse sea salt over the top and put a tight fitting lid over it.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and reduce the temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for 15-20 minutes more. Remove from the oven when it has light brown peaks and still has an overall blonde color.
Allow the bread to cool in the pot until it is easily removed. Serve warm, toasted, or however you want. The bread will stay good, wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature, for up to three days.
