Bread with Dry Thyme

Today I came up with a recipe for a home-made bread with dry thyme and olive oil. The thyme is hand picked by Gaby and me during our hiking in the mountains and dried at home, so it's really very aromatic.

Tussock of thyme on Chepan mountain

Ingredients:

• 700 g flour
• 7 g instant dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 450 ml warm water
• a handful of  dry thyme

Mix the ingredients, knead the dough and leave it to rise. Lately I leave the dough in the oven at 40-50C and it rises really well -overflowing the bowl. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead. Cut the dough into two halves and form two loaves of bread. I used the Italian method: spread the ball of dough flat, using the palm of your hand, fold about 1/3 of the circle and press with the palm of your hand, fold the second 1/3 part over and press, last fold in half and press again, then gently roll.

Thyme on Polovrak Mt. in Lozen Mountain

Leave the loaves for an hour to rise again. Mine are in the warm oven at 40C

Thyme on Vitosha, Bosnek

The loaves have doubled their size and are ready to be baked. Place them in a hot oven at 

240C until the crust is gold-brown, then turn the oven down to 200 C and bake until ready. 

I place a tin with water at the bottom of the oven to make the crust crisp yet still soft.

Fresh out of the oven. So soft and aromatic :) 

Leave on a rack to cool a bit. Best consumed still warm.
The children claim that this is the best tasting bread I've made so far :)))

And a picture of the full moon tonight, taken from the balcony