Greek village bread

No Greek meal is complete without village bread, χωριάτικο ψωμί, "horiatiko psomi". A basket is brought to the table straight away, hand sliced not quite all way through to bottom so that you can enjoy the pleasure of tearing off slices.  Dibble in olive oil, scoop it deep into hummus or just the thing to soak up the remains of your oily beans !

225ml milk
50g butter
1 tsp salt
2 tbl sugar
1 heaped tsp yeast
50 ml hand warm water
500g plain bread flour
2 tbl warm melted butter
2 tbl warm milk
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tbl cold water
Seeds, as preferred poppy/sesame/linseed...

Heat the milk to scald, stir in butter, salt & sugar. Sprinkle the yeast into the warm water. leave for the milk mix to cool, and the yeast to activate.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Make a well, and add the yeast mix. Stirr in the warm milk mix.
Knead for 5 minutes, rest for five.  Repeat twice more.
Cover, leave to rise for 90 mins.
Punch down and knead once for 5 mins, leave to rise for another 90 mins.
Shape as preferred - should make a couple of loaves. Brush with melted butter, cover and leave to rise for 1 hour. Brush with the warm milk.
Bake - about 180 fan oven fgor 45 mins, or until golden brown. For a crusty loaf, brush with the egg white mix and sprinke with seeds 5mins before the end of the baking time.  For a soft loaf, bush with more of the melted butter on removing from the oven.