Welsh Clay Pot Loaves

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2 x 5 1/2″ clay pots
1 cup or 4oz / 115g wholemeal bread flour
3 cups or 12oz / 350g white bread flour
1-1/2 tsp / 7.5mls salt
1 sachet or 3 teaspoons of dried yeast (quick rise)
1/4pt / 150mls lukewarm milk
4floz / 120mls lukewarm water
1/4 cup or 2oz / 50g of softened butter or margarine
1tbsp / 15mls chopped fresh chives
1tbps / 15mls chopped fresh parsley
1tsp / 5mls chopped fresh sage
1 crushed garlic clove
1 beaten egg
Rolled oats to top
If using dried herbs use only 1/2 the stated amounts

Utensils

5 1/2 inch standard clay pots
Parchment paper
Bowl
Saran wrap-clingfilm
Method

Measure and prepare ingredients. Make dry wells in the flour and add herbs, soft butter, salt, crushed garlic and sachet of dried yeast.
Add all lukewarm milk and water to bowl and mix together and knead until smooth. Place in bowl and cover bowl with cling film and leave to rise somewhere warm for an hour.
Line the clay pots with parchment paper to stop the bread sticking. Although hand thrown high clay content pots are preferable for that rustic look, I use your standard 5 1/2″ terracotta pots from the local garden centre. None have exploded yet , but be careful, they get very hot!
When dough has risen, remove dough and knock back by roughly kneading for a few seconds
Split the dough into two and place one ball in each of the lined pots. Cover the tops with oiled cling film and place in a warm position to rise again.
After about 30 mins the dough should be risen to at least the height of the rim. Brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the rolled oats.
Place in the oven at 200 centigrade or 390 F for 35-40 mins and remove when golden brown
The loaves look and smell lovely and ready to slice after about 1/2 hr of standing. The herby flavour is completely fabulous!

Have you read 'Hovel in the Hills'? I could imagine this recipe appearing there, with wild herbs. It sounds lovely!

I haven't, whats it about?

It's a book which tells the story of Elizabeth and Alan West who left their jobs in the 60s to live in an isolated cottage in Wales. They were completely self sufficient (apart from the fact that they occasionally needed to do some temporary work to pay bills). They got very good at feeding themselves by foraging (which was what I was thinking about when I read your recipe - wild herbs!). It's a good read; realistic and idealistic at the same time. Have just looked up Amazon.com where you can buy a second hand copy for less than a dollar if you're interested. The recipe book Elizabeth West wrote from her experience is much harder to come by, and goes for silly prices!

Mrs Chilli-Head and C-H jnr made me a birthday cake baked in a flower pot one year soon after I got my allotment. I imagine that bread works if anything better. I quite like the idea of a rosemary flavour one ...

I haven't actually tried it yet, but have started to season the pots so that i can.

I just liked the idea and the shape

Adrian wrote:I haven't actually tried it yet, but have started to season the pots so that i can.

Season the pots ? what's that ?

It seems to me that standard flowerpots should be fine; the concern about them exploding seems unlikely, provided they are dry* - they have already survived much hotter in the potter's kiln. They do get impregnated with oil/grease though, leaving stains which don't wash off - so pots used for baking will not look so good as plant pots anymore.

- Edited to add: Oops. followed the link, and the seasoning is explained there. Still not sure why it is needed though, if you're going to line the pot with baking parchment anyway ?

I never use baking parchment except with cakes, but I do season my bakeware with oil, so I never really thought about the why, just blindly did

If you aren't going to line them, I can see the need. I presume it ends up like my pizza stone, and nothing much sticks to that. I do like my old and rather "well seasoned" looking pizza stone - it is great for any sort of flat breads really, including naans.

Oh nice, I have often wondered about buying a pizza stone, but could never find one that I felt confident about