Fennel and Grape Harvest Bread

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Fennel and Grape Harvest Bread

 

1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F to 115°F)

2 envelops active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 cups red seedless grapes, stemmed, rinsed

10 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

 

Since you are making 2 separate loafs, you will want to divide the ingredients

into two except for the water, yeast and olive oil.

Put the water into a large bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast on top and stir to

dissolve the yeast. It may take 10 minutes before the yeast completely

dissolves. This is called a " sponge " .

Add 1 cup of the flour to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a

warm place for about 1 hour. By this time it should be very bubbly.

The remaining flour will be used to make the dough. On a nice big work surface,

add the remaining flour and make a well in the center. In the well place the

" sponge " and olive oil.

Using your fingers, mix the sponge, oil and flour together to create dough,

just like if you were making bread or pasta. Knead the dough until it is nice

and smooth but don’t overwork it. If need be, add water or flour while kneading

to create a soft slightly sticky dough. Takes about 5 minutes.

Divide the dough in four equal pieces and roll each piece into 12-inch rounds

using your roller. Next, place one of the rounds onto a large baking sheet. Top

with about 2 cups of the grapes being sure to leave at least a 1-inch border.

Now sprinkle the grapes with 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, then 1/4 teaspoon of

fennel seeds. Cover this round with another dough round and fold the edges in

to make a seal. Make 5 1/2 inch slits in the top dough round.

Top with another 2 cups of grapes, sprinkle these with another 2 1/2

tablespoons of sugar and another 1/4 teaspoon of fennel. Cover loosely with a

kitchen towel.

Do the exact same thing to make the second loaf and let both breads sit in a

warm place for about an hour until they rise to double the size.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and bake the breads until brown and the grapes

caramelize. About 1 hour. Let the breads cool before cutting and serving.

Makes 2 loaves.

 

 

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