Two-ingredient Bread

While I had seen this, and similar, recipes all over Instagram, it was only when I was asked to bake and bring some for dinner did I try this out. Easy, literally only two ingredients, and with a great crumb. If the mellowness of yeast, or the tang of sourdough is your thing, this one’s not for you. But for toasting and buttering, or dipping in olive oil,, pepper, and herbs are for you, this is spot on!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups self-rising flour (see NOTE)
1-1/4 cups whole milk Kefir

DIRECTIONS

Combine the flour and Kefir, mixing until a a dough forms. It will be shaggy and somewhat loose.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let sit in a warm spot in your kitchen for two hours.

Preheat your over to 350° F.

Turn the dough out on a floured surface, dust with more flour (to cut back on the stickiness), then turn, shaping the dough into a round loaf. (see NOTE)

Transfer the loaf to a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Let cool before slicing.

NOTE

If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own. To 2 cups of all-purpose flour, add 1 Tablespoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Whisk to combine and you’re ready to go.

This dough is quite sticky, and I highly recommend (1) using nitrile gloves (maybe with even a light oil coating) to handle it, and (2) being generous with the flour on the work surface, and a bench scraper to keep the dough from sticking to your work surface. Sounds intense, but it’s really not.