Country Sage Bread Recipes

COUNTRY SAGE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, shortening, celery seed, salt, sage, nutmeg, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. , Punch dough down. Shape into a round loaf. Place in a greased 8-in. or 9-in. pie plate. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pie plate to a wire rack to cool.

COUNTRY BREAD AND SAGE DRESSING

Steps:

• Heat large saute pan over high heat. Add the sausage and cook until golden brown. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add butter to the rendered fat in the pan, and then add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove the mixture from the heat and fold in the sage. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and let cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• When the vegetable mixture has cooled slightly, add the sausage to the bowl. Add the egg and bread and mix to coat. Add the chicken stock until the mixture is moist. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Butter a large baking dish and scrape the mixture into the dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

COUNTRY BREAD

Steps:

• The day before making the bread or early in the day, make the poolish (or biga) by placing 8 ounces of the flour, 7 ounces of room temperature water and the yeast in a large bowl and mixing it well with a wooden spoon. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it stand for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight. The poolish should double in volume.
• Add 1 pound of the flour and 12 ounces of room temperature water to the poolish and mix together well with your hands. It will be very sticky. Cover the bowl with the kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle the salt over the surface of the dough and then fold the dough onto itself several times until the salt is incorporated. Cover the bowl with the kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
• Cover your hands with flour and sprinkle flour around the outside edge of the dough. Fold the dough onto itself 6 to 8 times. Cover the bowl with the kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour.
• Fold the dough onto itself 6 to 8 times, dust a board generously with flour and pour the dough out onto the board.
• Divide the dough into two equal parts and turn and form each part into a ball, stretching the dough to form a smooth top. Sprinkle flour heavily in 2 separate bowls (there should be enough flour to keep the dough from sticking) and turn each ball of dough upside down into a bowl. Sprinkle the top of each ball with flour, cover each bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Turn each ball of dough bottom-side up onto its own sheet pan and use a knife or razor blade to score a tic-tac-toe design on the top of each loaf.
• Place the loaves in the oven, immediately lower the temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes. (Do not open the oven door!) The loaves are done when they are golden brown and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Cool the loaves on a baking rack.

TRADITIONAL SAGE DRESSING

Steps:

• Saute the onions and celery in 4 tablespoons butter until soft.
• In a large bowl, toss the dried bread, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper.
• Add the onion mixture along with the remaining melted butter to the bread mixture.
• Beat the egg and add to the mixture.
• Toss until well mixed.
• Add the broth slowly while tossing mixture to moisten thoroughly, making sure to not make the stuffing soupy.
• Stuff the turkey or bake alongside in a greased casserole, in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes.

GRANNY'S OLD-FASHIONED BREAD AND SAGE DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt margarine in a large nonstick skillet. Add celery and onion. Sauté until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in thyme, sage, salt (optional), and pepper. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, place bread slices on a baking sheet and lightly toast on both sides, about 10 minutes per side (or you can use the toaster). Break bread into bite-size pieces. Mix in vegetable mixture and parsley. (At this point, stuffing can be made one day ahead, placed in a self-sealing container, and refrigerated.)
• In a medium saucepan, heat broth to a simmer. Place dressing mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add hot broth and stir until bread is evenly moistened, starting with 2½ cups broth and adding additional broth to reach desired consistency. Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until lightly browned, another 15 to 20 minutes.