Title: Apple Hearth Bread
Categories: Breads
Yield: 1 Servings

1 1/2 To 1 3/4 cups unsifted
-all-purpose
Flour
1 pk Rapid-rising dry yeast
1/2 ts Salt
2/3 c Very warm water (120 degrees
-to
130 Degrees F)
1/2 c Olive oil
1 tb Honey
1 tb Butter
1 lg Golden delicious or other
Sweet firm apple, peeled,
-cored,
And cut into 1/4-inch thick
-slices
1/4 ts Coarse (kosher) salt
(optional)

Sweet apples and salty bread provide an intriguing contrast in taste. To
ensure that the hearth bread remains light and crisp, keep the dough soft:
Don't work in too much flour and knead it gently.

Makes 1 loaf (6 servings)

1. In large bowl of heavy-duty electric mixer, combine 1 1/2 cups flour,
the yeast, and salt. Slowly beat in water, 1/4 cup olive oil, and the
honey; vigorously beat mixture 10 minutes. Cover bowl with clean cloth and
let dough rise in warm place, away from drafts, 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter. Add apple slices and saute'
until very lightly browned; set aside.

3. After dough has risen 40 minutes, turn out onto floured surface. Gently
knead in as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to form a very
soft dough - about 1 minute. Gently work apple slices into the dough.

4. Lightly oil large baking sheet. With floured fingers, shape dough into a
9 inch round on oiled sheet. Cover with clean cloth and let rise in warm
place, away from drafts, until double in size - about 30 minutes.

5. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. With pastry brush, coat top of dough round
with 2 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Bake
15 to 20 minutes or until hearth bread is browned.

6. Drizzle hearth bread with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and serve
warm.

Nutritional information per serving - protein: 4 grams; fat: 20 grams;
carbohydrate: 34 grams; fiber: 2 grams; sodium: 195 milligrams;
cholesterol: 5 milligrams; calories: 335.

From: Country Living, September, 1992.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini