Sweet Red Pepper Bread Loaves Recipe

1      Reviews by:    Kathryn Williams   Sweet Red Pepper Bread Loaves Recipe where chopped sweet red bell pepper, sauteed in olive oil, speckles these little loaves made with olive oil, yeast, sugar, bread flour and cornstarch in creating this tasty French bread recipe. 1211

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 1/3 cups warm (105° to 115° F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch, blended with 1/3 cup water

DIRECTIONS

• Heat oil in a medium frying pan over moderate heat. Add red pepper and cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand for about 10 minutes to cool. Sprinkle yeast over 1/3 cup of the water in large bowl of electric mixer. Add sugar. Let stand until soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in remaining 1 cup water, red pepper mixture, and salt.
• Add 2 1/4 cups of the flour. Mix to blend; then beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Stir in about 1 cup more flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a board or pastry cloth coated with some of the remaining 1/2 to 1 cup flour. Knead until dough is springy and small bubbles form just under surface (20 to 25 minutes), adding just enough more flour to prevent dough from being sticky.
• Turn dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into two equal portions. Shape each into a round ball. Place on greased baking sheets. Let rise until almost doubled in bulk (30 to 45 minutes).
• Preheat oven to 375° F. Bring cornstarch mixture to a boil in a small pan over medium-high heat, stirring until thick and clear. Brush each loaf with warm cornstarch mixture. With a razor blade cut a large X about 1/2 inch deep at center of each loaf. Bake until loaves are brown and sound hollow when tapped (30 to 35 minutes). Transfer to wire racks to cool.