Onion-basil artisan bread

Heart Smart Low Sodium

By making your bread from scratch, you’ll avoid unhealthful ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup and dextrose (both forms of sugar) commonly found in store-bough varieties. Your homemade bread will likely be lower in salt (sodium) too! 

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups hot (100 to 110 F) water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
1 package fast-acting yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups enriched white bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
nonstick cooking spray
2 1/2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1/4 cup dried basil leaves (You can also use 2 tablespoons ground basil.)
1 cup room temperature water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine hot water, 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast. Stir and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
2. Add remaining sugar, salt and flours. Stir until well-combined. (Mixture should be sticky.)
3. Sprinkle a clean work surface lightly with flour. Place dough on surface and spray the dough bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Return the dough to the bowl and turn until well-coated. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
4. Sprinkle a clean work surface lightly with flour. Place dough on surface and sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Flatten the dough into a square, and sprinkle lightly with onion and basil. Fold one-third of the dough toward the center of the square, and continue to fold and turn dough until a ball is formed. Spray the dough bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Return dough to the bowl and turn until well-coated. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let sit at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
5. Place a metal pan on the lowest rack in the oven. Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
6. Once the dough has doubled in size, form two rounds and stretch them out to look like a loaf (oblong shape). Place on prepared baking sheet. Use a knife to make three ½-inch-deep cuts in the top of each loaf. Sprinkle loaves lightly with flour. Place in the oven and pour 1 cup water into the preheated pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden-brown.
7. Allow to cool for 30 minutes, slice and enjoy!

Makes 16 servings

Recipe contains: wheat

Carb choices per serving: 1 1/2 

First Published: 11/16/2018
Last Reviewed: 11/19/2018

Onion basil artisan bread
To speed up the rising process, boil 1 cup water in the microwave. Then move the cup to the back corner of the microwave and place the covered dough bowl in with it. The moist environment will help the dough rise! (Do not microwave the dough.)
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