5 Delicious Bread Recipes

Naan
Makes 8 flatbreads

Enjoy these flat breads with salads, stews and curries, but leftover breads make great pizzas as well. Simply top and bake as you would a store-bought pizza crust. Nigella seeds look like black sesame seeds and taste of onion and pepper. They're available by mail order and at Middle Eastern stores and spice shops.

• 1 recipe Soft, Tender American-Style Bread Dough
  
• Cornmeal for baking sheet
• 4 tablespoons butter for brushing
  
• 4 teaspoons sesame seeds or minced garlic (from the grocery store's spice section) or nigella seeds

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle 2 large baking sheets with cornmeal. Using a knife or dough scraper, cut dough into 8 pieces. Working one at a time, stretch dough into a rough 9×7-inch oval, draping it over the back of your hands and pulling gently. Repeat with 3 more pieces of dough, brushing each one with a little melted butter and sprinkling with sesame seeds or minced garlic. Bake until breads are pale and puffed on top and golden brown on bottom, about 10 minutes. While first breads bake, repeat with remaining dough, butter and seeds or garlic. Serve warm.

American Loaf Bread
Makes 1 large loaf

• 1 recipe Soft, Tender American-Style Bread Dough
• 1 large egg, beaten

Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray. Knead dough into a loaf and place in prepared pan. Cover with a damp cloth and set in a warm place until almost doubled, about 2 hours. Ten minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush dough top with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Turn loaf onto a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or room temperature.

Next: Bread sticks and mini bread loaves. »