Spicy Fennel Bread

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Description

This spicy fennel bread recipe is baked in a Dutch oven with pepper flakes, onion, garlic, and fennel seeds. It's an easy bread loaf bursting with flavor.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 pinch white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions

1 Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a measuring cup. Mix well. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
2 Whisk flour, fennel seeds, salt, red pepper flakes, onion, and garlic together in a large bowl making sure any flour clumps are broken up. Slowly pour in yeast mixture; stir.
3 Knead dough by hand until well combined and an even consistency is reached. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; rest on the countertop, 10 to 14 hours.
4 Turn dough out onto the counter; knead once more. Let rise, 30 to 60 minutes.
5 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Sprinkle bottom of an oven-safe Dutch oven with flour, cover with the lid, place in the oven while preheating.
6 Remove Dutch oven from oven. Carefully place dough in the pot; cover with the lid.
7 Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid; continue to bake until golden, about 30 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool.