Kirsty Cookitup’s Cookery Corner: Easy No Rise Bread

I love bread; making it, eating it and teaching people how to make it at my classes. I want to pass this passion on. Making bread doesn’t have to be time consuming. These two recipes take no rising or heavy kneading. It can’t get any easier! I find it frightening that supermarket bread contains 14+ ingredients when homemade contains only 4 (flour, yeast, salt and sugar). Over the next couple of weeks, I will let you know the secrets of bread-making and how easy it is – honestly!

Feta cheese, onion and potato bread

Ingredients:

• 110g/4oz Feta cheese
• Quarter of a red onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium baked or red potato weighing approx 6oz (175g)
• 1 tsp chopped rosemary – optional
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp salt
• Generous pinch of cayenne
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 heaped tsp grain mustard

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to gas mark 5 / 375F / 190 C.
2. Sieve the flour, salt and cayenne into a big roomy bowl, holding the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing.
3. Peel the potato and grate into flour using the coarse side of the grater. Then add the onion, rosemary if using and two-thirds of the cheese. Blend thoroughly.
4. Beat the egg, milk and mustard together. Pour into bowl, just bringing it all together to a loose, rough dough using a fork.
5. Transfer to a greased and lightly floured baking sheet and gently pat into a rough round. Lightly press the remainder of the cheese over the surface.
6. Bake on middle shelf for 45-50 mins or until golden brown.

I also make this bread with cheddar, tomato – anything you like really. Parsnip works well instead of potato too. Experiment!

Irish soda bread

Ingredients:

• 170g/6oz self-raising wholemeal flour
• 170g/6oz plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 290ml/½ pint buttermilk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C / gas mark 6.
2. Tip the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir.
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, mixing quickly with a large fork to form a soft dough (depending upon the absorbency of the flour, you may need to add a little milk if the dough seems too stiff but it should not be too wet or sticky.)
4. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.
5. Form into a round and flatten the dough slightly before placing on a lightly floured baking sheet.
6. Cut a cross on the top and bake for about 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Come back next week for more bread-based treats! In the meantime, why not follow Kirsty Cookitup on Twitter?