Homemade bread

I love simple meals; my preference is a bowl of warm soup and a slice of crusty bread. A bit of Smart Balance (a substitute for butter), a small piece of cheese, and a piece of fruit could be added for a full meal in the evenings.  

Recently, I realized that I have posted a few soup recipes (green beans, mushroom, spinach, chicken, and meatball soup), but I have not posted my bread recipe. There is nothing special about it, other than the fact that even I can prepare delicious bread loaves by following these directions.

Directions
Start with one pack of yeast. Even if the yeast are instant (do not require hydration), mix them with a cup of warm water. In a bowl, beat one egg, 1 cup of plain yogurt, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add the yeast once they are ready. In a large but shallow container form “a well” in 4.5 cups of flour (I use 1:1 ratio of white and whole wheat flour). Pour the yeast mixture in the well and start mixing by incorporating slowly the flour from the sides of the well. Mix into a soft dough by hand, and leave it to rise at room temperature under a few towels. Leave at least for one hour (I leave mine for longer, until I have time to get back to the kitchen and the bread prep). After this “rest”, divide the dough into three balls and knead, adding more flour as needed. Oil a cookie sheet, place the loaves on it, make a deep cross on top of each loaf, and leave to rest under a towel for at least 40 minutes (I leave mine for up to two hours sometimes). Bake at 170°C (350°F) for 40 minutes. 

Next time I may try to incorporate some olives or soften (fried) onion in the dough.