pide bread
makes 2/4 medium loaves — recipe origin Greg Malouf, whom we believe is one of Australia’s really great recipe writers
to get the good loaf shape as with the crayfish sandwiches for Cristal and Crayfish bake in conventional loaf tins — see below.
8g/16g dried yeast
20g/40g caster sugar
375g/750g warm water
50g/100g EV olive oil + extra for finishing
480g/960g strong flour + about another 200g for kneading
5g/10g fine sea salt, or poppy, fennel or onion seeds
Method
Weigh the yeast, sugar and water into the large bowl of your electric mixer and whisk it until the yeast is dissolved, then whisk in the oil. This is a very wet dough so you will be using your k-beater and not your dough hook. Add about half of the flour mix well, add the salt and remaining flour and work until smooth. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in volume.
Put about 200g flour onto your work slab and scrape the dough into the middle of the flour. Using a bowl scraper work the dough until it no longer sticks to the board. Divide into 4/2, shape into the proper shape and place them well apart on a silicon sheet or baking sheets covered with baking parchment. Working with clean hands pour some olive oil over the top and with your fingers press hard against the dough pushing right to the tray to make deep indentations. Scatter salt or seeds over the top and allow to prove again.
pre heat oven to 200°C
Bake until golden brown on the tops and bottoms of the bread. Cool on racks.
tip — this bread is so easy and so popular and it makes fantastic toast and croutons for canapés. We have made this recipe with fresh yeast and found that it is not as good…dont ask me why!
