Baguettes!

Dear Spouse of Turkey,

Now that I know that

You read my blog, I will think

Of you when I write

Baguettes!

(makes 2, adapted from here)

Ingredients:

- 1.5 T yeast (I used instant and it was fine)

- 2 T honey (or sugar, if you're vegan)

- about 4 c flour

- 2 t salt

- water

- cornmeal for dusting

Instructions:

- Combine the yeast and honey with 1/2 c warm water. Stand 5 minutes.

- Add the flour and salt; add the flour first so that the salt doesn't touch the yeast directly. Add 1 c warm water. Knead with your hands until a ball forms, and then another 2 minutes. Add more flour or water as needed. The dough should come together and spring back a little when you press your finger into it. Cover and let rise about 25 minutes in a warm place.

- Divide the dough in half and fold each piece into a rectangle. Keep folding it a few times until you get a basic baguette shape. The link that I cited has more specific instructions, but basically I think it's just important to fold the dough a few times instead of just shaping in into a log.

- Place both baguettes on a cookie sheet that you've generously dusted with cornmeal. Score them a few times with a sharp knife. Cover loosely and let rise another 25 minutes in a warm place.

-  Heat your oven to 450 F and wait a few minutes to make sure it's really hot. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and throw a few ice cubes in the bottom of the oven at the same time. Shut the door quickly to trap in the steam. If this feels like risky business, just spray some water in there with a spray bottle.

- Bake 15-20 minutes. You want the loaves to be golden brown, or even a little browner. If you're not sure, bake them longer. Cool completely and top with ricotta and honey. 

Enjoy,

Tofu