Tomato Saffron Bread

Another weekend means more soup and bread. Hot soup and fresh bread are pretty much the only things keeping me from staying in bed until spring. I tried this tomato saffron bread for the first time and it is a keeper! It doesn't really taste overwhelmingly tomato-y or saffron-y, but it has just a really good flavor. Sorry for the sort of vague description, I'm not enough of a breadmaker yet to be able to talk about things like density and "crumb." But it did look and taste great paired with my standby split pea soup, an added bonus.

P.S. How did I not know for this many years about honey butter??? I feel cheated.

Tomato Saffron Bread
Recipe courtesy of Pamela Lanier

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp or 1 pkg active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 105-115)
1/8 tsp saffron threads, or powdered saffron
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp olive oil
5 1/2 to 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp salt
Egg glaze
2 Tbsp poppy seeds (I substituted sesame seeds)

Instructions:
1. Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water, stir to dissolve, let stand until foamy. Steep saffron in remaining 1/4 cup warm water at the same time.

2. Warm tomato juice, tomato paste, honey and oil. Allow to cool to 105-115.

3. In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour and salt, add yeast mixture, saffron mixture and tomato juice mixture and beat with dough hooks, or by hand about 3-5 minutes. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until mixture forms a thick shaggy mass.

4. Knead on a lightly floured surface adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary until a smooth springy dough is formed. Place in a greased bowl, turn once to grease top, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. (For guests I make this at night and refrigerate it to rise overnight).

5. In the morning, or when doubled, gently deflate dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, divide into 2 equal portions, shape into loaves, and place in 2 greased bread pans. Brush with egg glaze (1 egg white beat with 1 Tbsp water, dash of salt), sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover and let rise until it reaches tops of pans.

6. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven, 35-40 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on racks. This bread is a light reddish color, very appealing and I usually serve honey butter with it.