Beet bread

 Bread tradition started in Mesopotamia, along with wheat cultivation more than 12,000 years ago. It was first focused on Egypt and later spread to the Mediterranean Europe and from there, to the rest of the world.

  Through the years bread acquired a great religious and cultural importance and today it is present in almost every meal. It is a universal food, with many varieties and traditions, depending on the countries and regions.

  Today bread fills the shelves of supermarkets and bakeries in a massive production which involves almost always industriallized products and precarious conditions.

  I decided to start baking my own bread a year ago. Since that time, we have never bought industrialized bread again and for me, it is a great pleasure to bake various breads with different textures and flavors.

  My favorite bread is beet bread, which I have been perfecting in recent months.

  For making this bread I use spelt flour which has very rich properties for those who choose the vegetarian diet as it is a quality protein and it contains all 8 essential amino acids.

  Spelt is a wheat variety that has been grown for over 7,000 years and its quality is superior to the current wheat one. It provides a lighter digestion than that from bread made with wheat and gives the feeling of satiety for longer periods.

Ingredients:

(10/12 balls)

Note: This recipe was developed by me, over several months and through various experiments. If you want to publish it, please refer the source. Thank you.

800 gr spelt flour + 150/200 gr additional flour

350 gr of grated beets

1 tbsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp chia soaked for 2h

1 pc yeast (I've used Lecker's Bio Hefe, 9 gr)

400 ml of tepid water

Start by putting chia seeds in a bowl and cover it with water. Let it stand for 2 h.

Prepare the ingredients:

Wash, peel and grate the beets.

Measure the flour.

Warm the water until it is pleasant to touch. It is important that the water doesn't get too hot nor too cold.

Place the flour in a large bowl and stir in the salt.

Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the oil and then half of the water (200 ml).

Combine with a wooden spoon (do not use metal).

Add the chia seeds which are now in the form of gelatin, the beets and the remaining water (200ml). Wrap well.

Place the mixture on a clean work surface where you can knead the bread.

Note: the amount of water required may vary according to room temperature and humidity.

The additional amount of flour, also varies in proportion to the amount of water you are adding.

Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes.

Fold the dough in from the outside to the inside and repeat for several times.

Use the hell of the hand you are using to work and press gently as you want to get a soft texture bread. With your other hand, turn the dough in small circles.

Sprinkle the work surface and the dough often so that you can continue to knead.

Make a ball and place the dough in a glass bowl dusted with a little flour. 

Cover the bowl with a cloth and place it in oven to ferment. Turn on the oven light. If you prefer, you can either set the dough aside in a warm place.

Use a glass bowl large enough so that the dough can double its size.

Let it stand 3 to 4 hours or more.

After that time, remove the dough from the oven and punch  in the center of it to remove the air.

Remove the dough from the bowl and using a circular motion, form a ball.

Let it stand for 5 minutes while you prepare the bread loaf tin or tray, depending on the form you want to give to the bread. I only use a oven tray lined with greaseproof paper.

It's time to work the dough again.

Divide the dough into 10/12 proportions, depending on the size of balls.

Flour your hands and the work surface as well. 

Flatten each ball to eliminate any bubbles and scroll down until you get the desired shape.

Place it in the tray and put it in the oven again with the light on (or in a warm place).

Let it rise for 30 to 45 minutes until the dough is soft.

To know if the fermentation process has finished, press your finger in the center of one of the balls and if the dough slowly returns to its shape, the process is complete.

Remove the tray from the oven and cover the balls with a cloth.

Preheat the oven at 250º for 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 200º degrees and place the tray in the middle of the oven (without the cloth, of course).

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the aroma of the bread arises.

The cooking time may vary according to the size of the balls.

To find out if the bread is cooked, gently tap underneath. If you hear a hollow sound, the bread is cooked.

If the bread does not produce this hollow sound, put it a bit more in the oven.

Hope you enjoy as much as we did...

Bon appétit!

© veggie delicious food, June 2013