Mock Sourdough French Bread

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) cartons plain yogurt (non-fat works great!)
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 package expired dry yeast, for flavor (optional)
• 1/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees f)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 -5 cups unbleached flour
• cold water
• fresh coarse ground black pepper (optional)

Recipe

• 1 heat yogurt to lukewarm (110 degrees f).
• 2 in a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, stir in yogurt, sugar, salt, oil and 2 cups flour, and beat until smooth.
• 3 stir in enough additional flour to make dough easy to handle.
• 4 knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, to obtain a firm, non-sticky sough.
• 5 place in oiled bowl, and turn to oil top of dough.
• 6 cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled in volume.
• 7 punch down dough, divide into 8 equal parts, knead each one, and flatten into a 4"x6" rectangle.
• 8 roll up, beginning on one of the long sides, excluding any air bubbles.
• 9 pinch edge of dough firmly into roll to seal, press each end firmly to seal, and fold ends under.
• 10 place loaves, seam side down, on greased cookie sheets sprinkled with cornmeal.
• 11 brush or spray tops with cold water, and cut three diagonal slices across top of each loaf with a sharp knife or razor blade.
• 12 let rise until doubled, about 30-40 minutes.
• 13 heat oven to 375 degrees f.
• 14 brush or spray loaves with cold water, and sprinkle pepper into slashes if desired.
• 15 bake until loaves sound hollow when rapped on the bottom or when they reach an internal temperature of 190 degrees f on an instant reading thermometer, about 35 minutes, brushing or spraying with cold water every 10 minutes.
• 16 cool on wire rack before wrapping.
• 17 recipe can be doubled successfully, and bread freezes very well.
• 18 thaw to room temperature and heat unwrapped in oven to restore the crisp crust.