Fennel bread – Southern Italian Family Cooking

Preparing, kneading and baking a fresh loaf of bread gives you that sense of instant satisfaction. The aroma alone wafting from the kitchen offers comfort and the urge to slice the warm loaf whilst spreading it lovingly with slightly salted butter. I love to use fennel seeds in my cooking and using fennel seeds in this simple loaf ensures it pairs so well with so many dishes. Roughly torn and dipped into a simple bowl of roasted pepper soup or alongside some rich mussels with a simple fresh tomato sauce would be perfect.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Proving time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Cooking time: 30-35 minutes

300g strong white flour

150g 00 flour

6g salt

1 tbsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed

290ml tepid water

7g dried yeast

20g butter, melted

Preheat oven: 200°C / Gas 5

Pour the flour into a large bowl, combine and sprinkle in the salt.
Crush the fennel seeds using a pestle and mortar. This will add texture to the bread by varying the size of the fennel seeds.
Add the yeast to the tepid water and stir, this will wake up the yeast.
Sprinkle the fennel seeds into the flour (reserving a few for the topping) and slowly pour in the yeasted water and melted butter.
Using your fingertips, work the flour and water together until you have the start of a dough. Once combined tumble the dough out onto a lightly floured board.
Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes and form the dough into a ball.
Place the dough into clean oiled bowl or into a proving basket which I prefer as I love the circular patterns it leaves. Allow to prove for 1 hour 30 minutes in a warm place.
After the first prove, tip your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock back the dough and form into an oval. Prove for a further hour.
Preheat the oven.
Place the dough onto an oiled pre-heated baking tray or baking stone, slash the top with a sharp knife and sprinkle over the remaining fennel seeds.
Bake for 30 minutes until golden and sounds hollow when tapped.