Today is World Bread Day!
It is celebrated each year, with the aim of highlighting one of the most traditional foods in the world, seeking to publicise its nutritional value and the importance of it in the daily diet of people.
Throughout history, bread has always been a food that has not been lacking on the tables of families around the world.
Here are six South African-style bread recipes from the chefs at Capsicum Culinary Studio.
Steamed bread
Ingredients
3 cups of flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast
3 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
Method
Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add the warm water and bring it together, kneading until the dough combines and does not stick to your hands. Grease a clean bowl with butter, add the dough, cover with a dish towel, and place in a warm place for an hour. Fill a large pot halfway with boiling water and place over medium heat. Grease a bowl with butter and add the dough. Place the bowl with the dough inside the pot (making sure no water gets in), cover with a lid, and allow to steam for an hour or until cooked. Remove bread and cool before slicing and serving.
Mealie bread
Ingredients
330g creamed sweetcorn
120ml milk
2 eggs, beaten lightly
30g salted butter, melted
180g all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornmeal
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter a 21cm x 11cm x 6 cm loaf tin. Place half the sweetcorn and the milk into a blender and blend until the corn is pureed. Add the remaining corn and blend quickly leaving kernels coarsely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and add the beaten eggs and melted butter.
In a separate bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and paprika and mix until well combined. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Stick a skewer in the centre of the bread and if it comes out clean it is done Cool in the loaf tin for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to continue cooling. Serve warm with butter.
Breakfast bread
Ingredients
275g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
8 spring onions, chopped
350g cheddar cheese, grated
125g back bacon, diced
4 eggs
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
60ml buttermilk
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a large loaf tin. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined. (You don’t need to pre-cook the bacon as it cooks in the bread and provides moisture and flavour.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the bread. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. A perfect loaf to slice and pack for padkos and picnics.