This is the recipe for the Basque Bread (sheepherders bread) that I made on
Thursday nite for the Sandy Eggo cook-in, but unfortunately could not
attend, due to a family emergency.



The recipe was published in the June 1976 issue of Sunset Magazine. It is
the recipe created by Anita Mitchell and won the National Basque Festival in
1975.



You need a 10-inch cast iron (I use cast iron) or cast aluminum covered
Dutch oven (5-quart size); if you're going to cook this in a pit, the Dutch
oven should have a wire handle and be well seasoned. This recipe has been
modified to be used in a regular oven.







Sheepherder's Bread



3 cups very hot tap water

1 /2 cup butter, margarine, or shortening

1 /2 cup sugar

2 1/ 2 teaspoons salt

2 packages active dry yeast

9 1/2 - 10 cups of all purpose flour, unsifted

Salad oil



In a bowl, combine the hot water, butter, sugar, and salt.

Stir until butter melts; let cool to warm (110° F - 115°F).

Stir in yeast, cover, and set in a warm place until bubbly, about 15
minutes.

Add 5 cups of the flour and beat with a heavy-duty mixer or wooden spoon to
form a thick batter.



Stir in enough of the remaining flour (about 3 1/ 2 cups) to form a stiff
dough.

Turn dough over in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until
doubled, about 1 1 /2 hours. (I turned on the oven to 350°F, covered the
bowl & let it rise).

Punch down the down and knead on a floured board to form a smooth ball. Cut
a circle of foil to cover the bottom of the Dutch oven. Grease the inside
of the Dutch oven and the underside of the lid with salad oil.



Place dough in the pot and cover with the lid. Let rise in a warm place
until dough pushes up the lid by about 1/ 2 inch, about 1 hour (watch
closely). (My lid broke years ago, so I used a big lid that I've had for a
long time I've also made it without the lid).



Bake, covered with lid in a 375°F oven for 12 minutes. Remove lid and bake
for another 30-25 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow
when tapped. Remove from oven and turn loaf out (you may need a helper)
onto a rack. Makes 1 very large loaf.



A poignant camp custom: Before serving a herder would slash the top with
the sign of the cross on the top of the loaf and then serve the first piece
to his invaluable dog.id not mention the copious amounts of alcohol we're
imbiberingishly.

Harriet & critters