In order to keep up with my busy schedule these days, I pick a day a week and spend half of it prepping food for the rest of the week. I have a supply of homemade tomato sauce in the freezer that can feed an army, so I take a freezer-bag of tomato sauce, a bag of tomato puree – and pesto while I’m at it – and transfer them to the refrigerator to thaw. I use the tomato sauce (which only has garlic, olive oil, salt and a dash of vinegar) for pasta dishes and the occasional casserole. If I’m craving soup, I use the tomato puree for this Roasted Tomato Soup. If not, I use it in multiple dishes – most recently this Egg in a Cup dish. The pesto goes a long way, too. I use it for a quick pasta, Caprese salad, or use as a topping whenever I order Pizza Margherita.
Next, I wash a mountain of greens, wrap them in wet paper towels and put them in zip top bags so they keep fresh and crisp for the remainder of the week. The freezer is full of cookies from trials for the book and I’m constantly baking, so no worries on the dessert front.
I also bake a bread. Last week it was this Oatmeal Sandwich Bread from “Good to the Grain” by Kim Boyce. I had been meaning to experiment with different flours for the longest time and this book seemed like the ideal starting point.
Most of the grains in the book are strangers to me and impossible to find here in Istanbul, so starting with oatmeal was a logical step.
Oatmeal is one of my favorite grains (take a look at my Granola, Hazelnut Butter, Chocolate and Oatmeal Cookies, and Blueberry Granola Bars recipes), but I have never used it in making bread. Glad I finally got around to it. The crumb of this bread is fine and tender and overall it is pretty moist – perfect to have on hand for toast.
This oatmeal sandwich bread will keep fresh for about 3 days. And if you’re wondering what to do after that, here are a few ideas:
WHAT TO DO WITH STALE BREAD
Croutons: Cut two slices into cubes, toss them with pureed garlic and olive oil, fry them briefly and use them in my all-time-favorite Chicken Caesar Salad recipe.
Chocolate Toast: Two tablespoons of peanut butter, four thick slices of banana and two ounces of bittersweet chocolate after, here’s what you’ll get: Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate Toast.
Egg in a Cup: Substitute pastirma (or bacon) in this Egg in a Cup recipe. It would be a good idea to flatten thin slices with a rolling pin, so you can shape the slices in the muffin pan much easier.
Homemade breadcrumbs: Throw the remaining bread in a food processor and pulse until you have breadcrumbs. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Hope you enjoy.
OATMEAL SANDWICH BREAD RECIPE
adapted from “Good to the Grain” by Kim Boyce.
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 2+1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 tbsp unsulphured (not blackstrap) molasses
- 2+1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
Method
- Lightly butter a large bowl and a 9*5 inches loaf pan and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir water, yeast and molasses to combine. Allow the yeast to bloom for about 5 minutes, or until it begins to bubble. Add the flours, rolled oats and melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, cover with a towel and let stand for 30 minutes.
- Add salt to the dough, attach the bread hook to the mixer and mix on medium speed for 6 minutes, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides (add a tablespoon or two of flour if necessary).
- For the first rise, scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it a few times. Put the dough into the buttered bowl, cover with a towel, and leave it to rise for about 1 hour, or until it is doubled in size.
- Scrape the dough onto a floured work surface. Shape it into a square, then fold it down from the top to the middle and then up from the bottom to the middle (just like you fold a letter). Bring the top and bottom edges together, pinch and seal.
- Place the dough in the pan with the seam side down, and press it gently into the corners of the pan. Cover the dough with a towel, and let it rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough rises to half again its size.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 40 minutes, rotating halfway through. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I haven’t visited your blog in a while and I just discovered that you’re working on your first book. Congratulations!!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book ‘Good to the grain’ and thought of buying it myself. I’m worried by what you say though, that the grains used in there are difficult to find.
This bread looks great!
Magda
I just discovered your blog … and fell in love with it. = D
You are so talented! The photographs are magnificent, delicious recipes, writing very appealing …
At first, I thought you were Portuguese (I’m Portuguese), because Fernando is a very common name here in Portugal. Then: cafe … in Portuguese is written similarly: Café.
I want to congratulate you and see you soon.
Very impressive Cenk. Love the color of the crust!
Just saw this on your facebook page. Another great post. I’ll try the recipe soon and let you know how it turns out.
Rolled oats in a loaf of bread is a new ingredient for me.
I think it will be delicious !
Thnx
So smart to take a day during the week to do most of your cooking. The bread looks amazing.
Lovely! Can’t wait to try this one out for sure!
Looks great! On Top Chef- just desserts in the USA there is a young Chef originally from Turkey as a contestant. He is very skilled at 29 .
Wow this looks so great!
I haven’t made bread since our move…your oatmeal bread is enticing me back into kneading mode!
Please, could you tell me whethet the active dry yeast you use is the same as the type where they tell us to place it straight with the flour and not to dissolve it in water ? I mean, if it is, is it ok to dissolve it in water first, assuming we’re talking about the same type of yest . (In Portugal we have brands like Fermipan and Vahine)
Hope you get your book translated into English and sold on Amazon, I really do, as ALL your recipes look extremely yummy ! Thanks
Balbina – The one you described is called instant dry yeast (the granules are much smaller than active dry yeast) and you have to use less than indicated in the recipe if you are planning on a substitution. Here’s the formula: 40-50 grams active dry yeast = 33 grams instant dry yeast. So, in this recipe, 1+1/2 tsp of instant dry yeast would be enough. Fingers crossed for the English version!
Genius! I love the tips for what to do with stale bread but, more important, the idea of good grains. Oatmeal bread?? Yes, please!
Thank you for answering! Thanks for the advice! What else can I say ? You’re a true gentleman and your blog rules !!!!
her şey harıka görunuyor.hoşca kal.
I tried a similar recipe and the bread didn’t come out so good
I might give it another shot with your recipe…
hm…looks delicious…..i like oatmeal…..
i love how you innovate the bread and how you gave alternatives on stale bread. what a useful way to recreate foods. especially the many uses of tomato sauce and tomato puree. truly a recipe for the on-the-go people.
I don’t have unsulphured molasses at home but I do have blackstrap. What is the reason the recipe says you shouldn’t use blackstrap?
Elise – Sorry, it doesn’t say why.
Thanks for all your ideas with stale bread, I definetely hate throwing food away… Oatmeal and molasses.. Yummy!! and it’s also good for you!!!
I would love to make this bread but molasses are unavailable in my country. Is there anything else I can use instead? How about honey?
Ena – I think honey would work. Hope you like it.
This is what I should do. “I pick a day a week and spend half of it prepping food for the rest of the week.” I am really struggle to find time to make food for my family.
Your bread looks awesome! How do you manage to get the dough raise evenly? I will try out your recipe this weekend. I am going to adapt the recipe to my Pullman tin. Due to the budget constraint, I didn’t buy the non stick version Pullman tin. Guess what after I bought the tin, I found most of the dough won’t stick to the aluminium pan. After come out from oven, just give the tin light shake, the loaf will drop off effortlessly. Here is my pan.
Thanks for sharing the recipes.
Lisa – Right after the final fold, I check out the dough from every angle and make sure it is even all around. If not, I try to shape it as evenly as possible. Since you’re using a Pullman tin, I don’t think you need to worry about it at all. I have the same pan!
What a treasure trove of great ideas — especially for stale bread. The bread recipe has me thinking of heading down to my kitchen. I have WAY too much flour in my pantry right now.
Absolutely love your blog! A lot of stunning photos and foods.
I have a suggestion for next time you’re gonna make this oat bread the next time:
– use cold water instead of warm
– use 1/3 of the yeast
– use 1/3 of the salt
– knead the bread for 3 times as long
– let the bread cool for three times as long or overnight at a cool place as for example your fridge
What do you think?
Cenk, Love your blog and recipes.! I have a passion mid east food and you must definitely publish an English edition of your cookbook. I need all the help I can get!!
I have prepared oatmeal a few times, But Never really thought about oatmeal Sandwich.
Certainly going to try this over the weekend.