Romanian Country Bread Recipe - Romanian Tara Paine
A country-style Romanian bread features a hearty blend of cornmeal and all-purpose flour.
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Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 F.
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Combine yeast, 1/3 cup lukewarm water, and sugar; let stand 5 minutes.
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Add 2 cups lukewarm water, melted shortening, salt, and 2 cups all-purpose flour; beat until moist.
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In a separate bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with cornmeal. Gradually add flour mixture to the yeast mixture, beating after each addition; add 1/2 cup extra flour if dough is too sticky.
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Knead with a dough hook or by hand until elastic, about 6 minutes. Form into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled.
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Grease 1 large or 2 (9-inch-round) pans and sprinkle with cornmeal. Punch down dough, transfer to a floured surface, and knead briefly. Divide in half for two loaves or shape the whole dough into one round.
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Place dough in prepared pan(s), cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
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Once dough has doubled, optionally slash an X on top and sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or internal temperature reaches 190 F.
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Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.