Stove Top Bread/Pressure Cooker Bread

recipe from Sue on s/v Blue Jacket

1 3/4 cups Water (105 - 110˚F)

3 tablespoons white or brown sugar heaping - can substitute honey

1 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups flour (may need more)

2 packets yeast (1/4 oz) or one 11 gram packet of Fermipan yeast

Oatmeal to coat cooking pot

Mix together sugar salt and hot water, sprinkle yeast on top and let proof for 10 minutes.  After proofed add 3T of olive oil to mixture.

In separate bowl combine 3 cups of sifted flour.

Once yeast has proofed mix together with flour in a large bowl using a spatula or wooden spoon.  Add enough flour that a ball forms and is not to sticky to knead.  Knead in bowl, adding more flour as necessary, until you have good elastic dough.

Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place a plate on top and let rise for about 1 hour, until double in size, in a warm draft free environment.  I like under my dodger window.

After first rising turn dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead again making sure to remove all air bubbles.  You should hear dough make a popping sound while kneading.  Add more flour if dough is too sticky and knead till you have good smooth and elastic dough.

Coat a 6 quart pot or pressure cooker with olive oil and sprinkle the bottom with oatmeal.  Place dough in pot and put the lid on and place in sun and let rise for another 75 to 90 minutes.  (Should rise close to top of pot, time may vary.)

Once dough has risen to desired level place on smallest burner on medium heat for 4 - 5 minutes, you should start to smell the bread cooking but don't take lid off to peek.  Turn heat down to lowest setting and cook for a total of 50 minutes.  Flip bread in pot to cook the top of loaf for another 10 minutes with lid on.  Remove lid and cook for another 5 minutes.  Cool bread on wire rack. 

Cooking times will vary based on different stoves, you will have to watch and adjust time.  You want to cook the bread at the same heat you would cook rice.  If you burn the bottom of the bread try raising the pot off the burner with a metal trivet and make sure burner is on lowest setting.

Note:  Can substitute 1/2 of white flour for whole wheat flour.  One 1/4 oz packet of yeast = 2 1/4 teaspoons.  I also add wheat gluten with the flour which helps with the rising process.  You can buy wheat gluten, which is a powder, in the baking section or health food section of a US grocery store.

Helpful Hint:  To check to see if dough has raised enough for the first rising, press 2 of your fingers 1/2" into the center of the dough.  Remove your fingers and if the indentations remain the dough has doubled in size.