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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...
