ANADAMA BREAD

ANADAMA BREAD
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons butter or shortening
1/4 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup boiling water
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

This is a do-in-stages recipe, good for a day while you're doing other things. It makes a sweetish bread with an unusual and fairly heavy texture that is really good for breakfast.

1. Combine the cornmeal, fat, molasses, salt, and the boiling water in a small bowl. Let that cool until it's lukewarm.

2. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a LARGE bowl and let it sit for five minutes. (This will be the final mixing bowl and needs to be able to hold everything. It's better to mix in the yeast bowl than the cornmeal bowl. Don't ask me why, it just works better.)

3. Add the egg, the cornmeal mixture, and half the flour to the yeast bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until the flour is incorporated, then mix in the other half of the flour. After all the flour is incorporated, you'll probably want to dive in and start working the dough with your hands to get it really mixed; it'll have begun to fight the spoon at this point.

4. Shape into a ball, put in a buttered bowl, turn it to coat the surface of the ball with butter. Cover with a towel and let rise (don't refrigerate) until doubled in size.

5. Punch down. Turn out into a well-greased loaf pan. Cover again and let rise until doubled again. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

6. Sprinkle the top of the dough with cornmeal. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

(courtesy Columbine)