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 BBS: The GWE BBS [ASV/CIN]
Date: 05-04-37 (33 19)             Number: 412
From: ZOGAN #188 @5465*3           Refer#: NONE
  To: ALL                           Recvd: YES 
Subj: Salt Rising Bread              Conf: (37) Home Cooki
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 This is for the person whose bakery closed & lost his supply....

 Salt Rising Bread

 1/2 cup stone-ground corn meal
 4 cups milk
 5 Tbl vegetable shorting cut into 1/4"  bits
 1 tbl sugar
 1 tbl salt
 9-9 & 1/2 cup unsifted flour
 2 tbl butter, softened
 1 egg beaten with 1 tbl milk

 Starting a day ahead, measure cornmeal into heatproof bowl. Heat 1 cup of 

milk till bubbles form around the sides. Pour milk over cornmeal & stir to 

a paste. Set bowl in draftt-free place like an unheated oven over night or 

till mixture ferments & develops a cheesey smell.

 Place the shortening bits, sugar, & salt in a mixing bowl 12" in diameter 

across the top. At same time, pour water to a depth of 2 or 3"  in a pot or 

saucepan that's 12" in diameter. The rim of the bowl should fit smugly over he 

 pot. The bowl should sit above the water. Bring the water to a boil on high 

heat, then remove pot from heat & cover to keep water hot.

 In a heavy 1-2 qt. saucepan, heat remaining 3 cups of milk till bubbles foorm 

on the sides. Pour the milk over the shorening & stir till sugar & salt 

dissolves. Add 3 & 1/2 cups of flour & when it's incoorporated, add 

the cornmeal mixture. Stir.

 Set this bowl over the pot of hot water & drape the top of the bowl with a 

kichen towel. Let the dough rise for about 2 hours or till bubbles form on the 

surface. The water in the pot underneath must be kept at least lukewarm. 

Replenish with boiling water as needed.

 When dough is fermented, remove bowl from pot. Stir in up to 6 more cups of 

flour, 1 cup at a time, to make a firm ball. If dough becomes difficult to 

work with, mix in by hand.

 Place dough on lightly floured surface & knead for about 20 minutes until 

dough is smooth && elastic.

 With pastry brush, spread the butter evenly over bottom & sides of two 9 by 5 

by 3 inch loaf pans. divide dough in two. Shape into 2 loafs about 8" long & 

4" wide. Place in pans & place pans in draft-free spot to rise to double the 

size...about 2  hours. Preheat oven to   400 degree F. Brush tops of loaves 

with egg & milk mixture & bake in middle of oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat 

to 350 degrees. & coninue baking for 25-30 more minuttes. To test for 

doneness... turn loaves onto flat surface...tap the bottoms...should sound 

hollow. If not pop back into oven for another 5-10 minutes.

 Cook n wire racks before serving.


   Regards....a very pooped of typing      Zogan...