Chilli, Bacon and Onion Bread by Real Food Direct

Serve this delicious bread with cheese and soups or use it to turn beans on toast into a gourmet experience.

* For best results use Traditional Dried Active Yeast if making the loaf in a bread maker and Fast Action Dried Yeast if making by hand.

Ingredients

* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 rashers smoked back bacon
* 1 1/2tsp/7.5mlsp dried yeast*
* 6floz/175ml water
* 1tsp/5ml sugar
* 6oz/175g strong brown flour
* 41/2oz/125g strong white flour
* 3oz/75g Munchy Seeds Chilli Mix (or another Mix if you prefer)

To bake in a bread maker

1. Trim the rind and fat from the bacon keeping it in one long strip, chop the bacon. Put the fatty rinds into a pan with the onions. Cover and cook over a very low heat for 5 minutes. Discard the rinds, and add the chopped bacon. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Leave to cool.
2. Meanwhile stir the yeast, water and sugar together. Leave for 10 minutes.
3. Put all ingredients into the bread maker and set to mix and cook a 1.5lb/675g loaf immediately (do not use the delay facility). Remove cooked loaf from pan and cool.

To bake in an oven

At step 2 stir all ingredients together (do not mix the fast action yeast with the water first) and knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes. Put into a covered bowl and leave in a warm place until doubled in size (approx 1 hour).

Knead for 5 minutes. Shape into an 8in/20cm round and put onto a floured baking sheet. Cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. Bake at 210C/425F Mark 7 for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through, (the underside of the loaf will sound hollow when tapped). Cool on a wire rack.

About The Author

To view the original recipe visit the Real Food Direct Recipe Blog

Visit the author's web site at:
http://www.realfooddirect.co.uk