Sheepherder's Bread

Ingredients

• in first and then add 6 cups of flour.
• I start the machine, and as it mixes, I add more of the flour as needed. I haven’t had to use all 9 cups of flour.
• In my bread machine, the mixing will take less than 10 minutes and the it will be through the first rise after 1 1/2 hours.
• Since this is such a large amount of dough, I like to spray the top of my bread machine with pam incase it rises to the top and it usually will.
• While taking the dough out of the machine, you will be punching it down. I like to shape into two round loaves.
• I have two cast iron frying pans that I use. Grease the pans and place the round loaf and cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled in size.
• Pre-Heat your oven to 500 degrees. Once you put the bread in the oven, reduce the temperature to 400 degrees.
• I like to bake at high temperatures so you can get a good crust on the bread. (If you place a cake pan in the bottom of your oven, after you have added the bread, pour 1 cup of water to the cake pan. This will create steam and boost the rise while baking.)
• Bake for 40 minutes until the temperature is 208 degrees. The outside should should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
• Remove from the oven and allow to rest.
• This bread is excellent with a bit of homemade jam!