Impress dinner guests with casserole bread

Nobody asked for this, but I thought some of you might enjoy a quick, easy-to-make bread. We in Maine are pretty lucky in the bread department. There are a fair number of small, local bakeries making good hand-made bread so no one has to eat soft and fluffy bunny bread unless they want to.

This recipe came from another wonderful Maine product, “Cook n’ Tell,” a recipe newsletter produced 10 times a year by Karyl Bannister on Southport Island. Karyl’s newsletter is chock full of recipes, chitchat, questions and answers from readers, and no-nonsense cookery. I start reading it as I walk up the driveway from the mailbox, and several of her recipes are now in my repertoire.

The name of it was Elfriede’s Casserole Bread, and I have tinkered with it only a little bit. It is a good one when you want bread to go with soup or a big salad, or just because you feel like it. You can serve it hot and guests will swoon because it is so nice and crusty. It only takes a couple of hours and most of that time you don’t have to pay any attention to it. The recipe makes just one loaf, and you can bake it in a greased casserole or souffle dish. If you use something with a flat bottom, the loaf sits better for slicing on a cutting board, if that matters to you.

A yearlong subscription, or 10 issues, of “Cook & Tell” costs $20 ($25 to Canada and $28 to other foreign addresses). Write to Cook & Tell, 298 Hendricks Hill Road, Southport 04576, or visit www.cookandtell.com for information.

Casserole Bread

2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons honey (or sugar)

2 tablespoons softened butter

Caraway seeds (optional)

Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, then add honey, salt and butter and 3 cups flour. Beat by hand 2 minutes or with a dough hook on a mixer at slow 2 minutes. Add the rest of the flour, a tablespoon of caraway seeds if you like them, or a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. Mix until dough is sticky and flour is absorbed. Cover with damp towel and let rise for 35-45 minutes until it is doubled and looks very light. Preheat oven to 385 F. Beat down by hand and pour into a greased 11/2- to 2-quart casserole, and bake immediately. You can sprinkle more Parmesan on top before baking if you wish.

Bake for at least 50 minutes. Tap to see if it sounds hollow. It may look done after a half-hour, but you have to let it go for the whole time to be sure it is baked through.