Recipe - Apple Hearth Bread

1 One half To 1 Three fourths cups unsifted
allpurpose
Flour
1 pack Rapidrising dry yeast
One half teaspoon Salt
2/3 cup Very warm water (120 degrees
to
130 Degrees F)
One half cup Olive oil
1 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon Butter
1 lg Golden delicious or other
Sweet firm apple, peeled,
cored,
And cut into 1/4inch thick
slices
One fourth teaspoon Coarse (kosher) salt
(optional)

Sweet apples and salty bread provide an intriguing contrast in taste. To
ensure that the hearth bread remains light and crisp, keep the dough soft:
Don't work in too much flour and knead it gently.

Makes 1 loaf (6 servings)

1. In large bowl of heavyduty electric mixer, combine 1 One half cups flour,
the yeast, and salt. Slowly beat in water, One fourth cup olive oil, and the
honey; vigorously beat mixture 10 minutes. Cover bowl with clean cloth and
let dough rise in warm place, away from drafts, 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter. Add apple slices and saute'
until very lightly browned; set aside.

3. After dough has risen 40 minutes, turn out onto floured surface. Gently
knead in as much of remaining One fourth cup flour as necessary to form a very
soft dough about 1 minute. Gently work apple slices into the dough.

4. Lightly oil large baking sheet. With floured fingers, shape dough into a
9 inch round on oiled sheet. Cover with clean cloth and let rise in warm
place, away from drafts, until double in size about 30 minutes.

5. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. With pastry brush, coat top of dough round
with 2 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Bake
15 to 20 minutes or until hearth bread is browned.

6. Drizzle hearth bread with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and serve
warm.

Nutritional information per serving protein: 4 grams; fat: 20 grams;
carbohydrate: 34 grams; fiber: 2 grams; sodium: 195 milligrams;
cholesterol: 5 milligrams; calories: 335.

From: Country Living, September, 1992.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini