Ein grandioses Brot, das ich im Buch "Amy's Bread" gefunden habe. Hätte nie gedacht, dass die Kombination von Frühlingszwiebeln (erste Gedanke: im Brot??) und Walnüssen so lecker schmeckt. Ein tolles Party-Brot, das jede Suppe adelt und sicher auch super zu einem Caesar's Salad passt.

Scott from Real Epicurean is hosting weekend herb blogging this week. My herb - scallions - seems to have vanished. You hardly see it in the walnut scallion bread I found in Amy Scherber's book "Amy's Bread".

The bread is fantastic. It takes some time but the result is worth waiting for it. Amy says in her book that this bread is one of her staff's favourite. People very often buy two breads: One to eat immediately, the other to freeze it.

I tried the first pieces very warm from the oven just with some salted butter.

Here's the recipe:

========== REZKONV-Rezept - RezkonvSuite v1.2

Titel: Wands of Walnut Scallion Bread
Kategorien: Brot
Menge: 1 Rezept

1/2 Teel. Active dry yeast
2 Essl. (1 ounce) very warm water
3/4 Tasse Plus 2 tb (7 ounces) cool water
1 Tasse (8 ounces) sponge starter
1 Essl. Plus 1 1/2 ts walnut oil
1 Essl. (1/2 ounce) honey
2 1/2 Tassen (13 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
1 Essl. Kosher salt
3/4 Tasse (1 bunch) scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 Tassen (6 ounces) walnut pieces, toasted
Quelle: Amy's bread, p. 124 ff

============================ QUELLE ============================
-- Erfasst *RK* 21.01.2007 von
-- http://www.foolforfood.de
1. Combine the yeast and warm water in a large bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 3 minutes.

2. Add the cool water, sponge, walnut oil, and honey to the yeast mixture and mix with your fingers for 2 minutes, breaking up the sponge.

3. Add the flour and salt. Mix well.

4. Knead the dough for 5 to 6 minutes, until it becomes supple and elastic, using as little additional flour as possible. Allow the dough to rest, covered with a towel, for 15 minutes.

5. Stretch the dough into a larger rectangle. Spread the scallions and walnuts evenly over the dough and gently press them into it. Dust the dough lightly with flour and fold it in thirds, as if you were folding a business letter. Roll up the dough and gently knead
for 1 to 2 more mintes to incorporate the nuts and scallions. Some may pop out of the dough, but they can easily be incorporated after the dough hast rested.

6. Shape the dough into a loose ball. Cover the bowl tightly with oiled plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until it looks slightly puffy but hast not doubled.

7. Refrigerate overnight.

8. Remove the dogh from the fridge and let the dough sit at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it is soft and beginning to rise again.

9. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape into the a roughlooking baguette.

10. Sprinkle the loaves with a little flour to give them a rustic appearance, then cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

11. Preheat the oven to 425°F (225° C).

12. Gently place the baguettes in the oven. Quickly pour 1 cup of very hot water into the water pan and immediately shut the oven door. After about 1 minute, using a plant sprayer, mist the loaves 6 to 8 times, then quickly shut the oven door. Mist the bread again after 1
minute.

13. Bake fot 15 minutes, rhen reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until the loaves are a glossy purple brown and sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom.

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========== REZKONV-Rezept - RezkonvSuite v1.2

Titel: Sponge Starter
Kategorien: Brot
Menge: 1 Rezept

1 1/2 Tassen (12 ounces) very warm water
1/4 Teel. Active dry yeast
3 1/2 Tassen (16 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
Quelle: Amy's bread

============================ QUELLE ============================
-- Erfasst *RK* 21.01.2007 von
-- Claudia Schmidt

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, until a smooth, somewhat elastic batter has formed.

If you plan to make your dogh later that same day, let the sponge rest at room temperature until it has risen to the point where it just begins to collapse. This may take form 6 to 8 hours, depending on the temperature of the sponge.

If you're not planning to make your dogh until the next day or the day after, put the covered sponge in the regrigerator and let it rise there for at least 14 hours before taking it out to use in a recipe.

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