What better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon than sitting around a kitchen with friends, learning about bread, kneading and shaping dough, then being rewarded with beautiful fresh ciabatta and french loaf...and let's not forget the stinky cheese! Thanks Houston for inviting us around, and for Taylor for making it happen (and documenting each moment)
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| Working out the bakers' formula |
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| My shaggy dough in the mixer |
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| Carefully watching Houston pour the ciabatta |
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| A wet dough (high water content) |
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| It's alive! (with yeast) |
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| First fermentation |
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| Houston shapes the ciabatta |
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| Shaped to look slightly like a slipper (broader at one end, narrower at the other) |
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| Amazing, the dough has more than doubled in size |
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| Preparing this one to be shaped in a linen lined bowl |
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| And this one to be cleverly shaped by hand - roll the dough towards yourself, tucking under the edges to create a taught skin |
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| Time for the oven... |
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And 30min later, we have tasty ciabatta!
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| A beautiful view of the city... |
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| ...accompanying a beautiful platter |
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| And now for the tasting. My first loaf! |
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But let's not forget the cheese
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| Especially not this fantastic stinky one |
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| And home made pesto too |
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Taylor on quality control does our first slicing
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| And the party begins |
