2 ¼teaspoons(2 ¼teaspoons)bread machine or instant yeast
Instructions
Add all ingredients: 1 cup water, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon oil from sundried tomatoes packed in oil,2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons dried minced onion, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 ¾ cups of bread flour, ½ cup whole wheat flour, 2 ¼ teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast) listed to a bread machine pan (with the paddles in place) in the order given. Select the DOUGH cycle and press START.
The dough will look dry and ragged at first but will soon come together and even out.
Check the dough after it kneads for 10-12 minutes. The goal is for the dough to stick to the side of the pan, then pull away cleanly. If the dough is too dry to do this, (spinning around the post or in crumbles) add water one tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too wet (sticking to the sides of the pan and not releasing), add flour one tablespoon at a time until it is still sticky but releases as the paddles pull on the dough.
When the kneading is almost done, the dough should be slightly tacky but fairly smooth and shiny.
Leave the dough in the bread machine pan until the DOUGH cycle is finished. You want the dough to be doubled in size. If not, leave it in the pan to rise until it doubles. Note: Bread dough that contains whole grains will usually take longer to rise.
Remove the dough from the bread machine pan onto a lightly-floured surface. Lightly press with your fingers into a rectangle shape. Make sure all large bubbles are gently compressed. If the dough is bouncy and won't stay put, cover it with a tea towel and let the dough relax for 10-15 minutes. Come back and try again.
Your rectangle should measure about 12 inches long and about 2 inches + the length of your loaf pan. I use an 8½ x 4½ inch loaf pan. So my rectangle should measure approximately 12 x 11 inches. You don't have to measure--just eyeball it.
Spray your loaf pan with non-stick spray. Starting with the short side of the dough rectangle closer to you, roll up the dough. Pinch the seal with your fingers. Pull up each end of the dough cylinder toward the long seam and seal it to make nice round corners on the end. Flip the roll of dough over so the seam side is down and place it into your pan. Pat it down to evenly distribute the log of dough in the pan.
Cover the bread dough with a tea towel or cheap shower cap. Place it in a warm place (but not too warm) to rise until almost doubled in size. The longer it takes your dough to rise, the better the flavor.
When the dough is close to being ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
Turn the oven back to (180˚C)350 °F. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches (90-93˚C)195-200 °F
Remove from the oven but let the bread sit in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and allow it to cool on a rack for another 45 minutes before cutting. Slicing into the bread too quickly may result in a gummy loaf and unappetizing squishing.
Notes
Directions for making bread by hand or with a bread machine
To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer, add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Using the dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3 and continue kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic--about 5-10 minutes. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
If making by hand, combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead with your hands until dough becomes smooth and elastic, a process that will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
Please note: If you substitute regular yeast for instant or bread machine yeast, you must dissolve it first before adding to the dry ingredients. Stir it into about 1/4 cup of the lukewarm liquid called for in the recipe. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Add to other wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients. Proceed as directed to knead and shape the dough.