Oatmeal Bread
Honestly, is there anything better than a tomato sandwich? (Ok, I’ll pause now, while you glance up to the top of the post and make sure you read “Oatmeal Bread” right. You did. No need to question your sanity, at least for the moment. Watch me bring it back around to the oatmeal bread.) To me, the perfect tomato sandwich consists, obviously, of perfectly ripe homegrown tomatoes, bright red and insanely juicy, a sprinkle of salt, and a hefty smear of mayo all sandwiched between to very lightly toasted pieces of a light, fluffy sandwich bread. While the tomatoes are obviously the star of the show, all the other elements have to be in the correct proportion to make them really sing. Isn’t this true of so many things? So when it comes to making a tomato sandwich, I want to have a sandwich bread that’s just right. Enter the Oatmeal Bread. (See, you only had to hang in there with me for an entire paragraph to get back to the bread!)
A good sandwich bread is hard to find. A whole grain loaf, while delicious, can really overpower a lot of fillings. A brioche loaf can be wonderful, but making one is pretty involved and the end product is often more buttery than what I really like. Many people would swear by good old Wonder bread for tomato sandwiches, which actually is a decent option, but it sort of just dissolves and I hate the way it gums up when I chew it. Basically, I want a sandwich bread that is sturdy enough to hold my sandwich together, but still tender, has a little hint of sweetness, but not too much whole-grain flavor. Oh, and I want it to make good toast, because I just do, and I’m the bread baker, so if I want bread that toasts well, I should get it.
This oatmeal bread is everything I want in sandwich bread. It’s delicious, the perfect texture, and the recipe is virtually idiot-proof. I’m not kidding; the last time I made a batch I accidentally left out the yeast, and only remembered after I had shaped the dough for the first rise, at which point just threw the dough back in the mixer with the yeast, gave it another minute of kneading, and hoped for the best. It still turned out perfectly. The resulting loaves make great bread for your morning toast, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and, as it turns out, tomato sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 3/4 c warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour ( divided )
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tbsp unsalted or salted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs (I used thyme, rosemary, and parsley)
Instructions
- Grease a 10" or 12" cast iron skillet with a generous amount of olive oil.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit until bubbly and foamy, just a few minutes.
- Turn the mixer on low speed and add 1 cup of flour and salt. Mix until combined. Add the oil and continue mixing. Once the oil is incorporated, gradually add in the rest of the flour. (The dough should then be pulling away from the sides of the bowl and not too sticky.)
- Using your hands, shape the dough into a disk, then continue gently flattening and stretching it until it's about the size of your skillet. Place the dough in the skillet and make indentations in the dough with your fingers, pushing the dough all the way to the edges. Let rise for about 20-30 minutes in a warm spot.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Mix melted butter, herbs, and parm in a small bowl. Brush or drizzle the butter over the dough.
- Place skillet with dough in the preheated oven and bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool until just warm, cut into wedges or squares, and serve.