Fail-Safe Bread

Before I get into this recipe I want to be very clear about something. While this is my fail-safe bread dough recipe, I don’t guarantee that it will be a fail-safe recipe for everyone, although your probability for success is very high. I can make this bread in my sleep and fashion it into almost every flavor under the sun with a tweak here or a twist there. Substitutions for ingredients are provided in parentheses. Try it once the way it is written to get the hang of things and then have fun with the possibilities. Any leftover rice or cooked grains can be added to the dry ingredients before mixing the dough. They will provide flavor and moisture to the finished product. A raw chopped onion mellows beautifully in the finished loaf. Chunks of cured meats, cheeses, olives, or herbs can be added when forming the loaves. Just flatten the dough into long rectangles. Sprinkle your chunks onto the middle three-quarters of the dough, leaving a space at the top and bottom. Roll up the dough, lengthwise. Make sure the seam is on the bottom of your sheet tray. Let proof and continue as the recipe indicates. Use your imagination here because the dough is very forgiving and will accept most additions with grace.