So last night we had the soup and the dilly bread. We got home kind of late after taking Buddy for a walk at Avila Beach, but the great thing about this bread is that you can mix it all up and when you're ready just pop it into the oven. It is pretty much fool-proof in that it is really just a batter bread. No real kneading or critical timing here. Just mix everything together and let it rise..usually for about an hour..more or less isn't going to make much difference .After about an hour I just punch it down, cover it back up and let it go till I am ready to bake it.
After taking it out of the oven Bessie always rubbed fresh soft butter over the top and sprinkled it with salt. Now that we have the "fancy salt"...I sprinkled some pink sea salt on it. I bake mine in a cast iron skillet..it calls for an 8 ' round casserole, but since we have a Farmhouse theme going on over here..I like the cast iron skillet...it just looks so cute.
When it first came out I sliced off a couple of bites and we smeared some (more) butter on. It smelled so good in here ...and we nibbled away like 2 mice.
We just about polished it off last night with the grated Gruyere melting on top...but there was just enough to have a couple of pieces toasted this morning for breakfast. Lucky Us !
Bessie's Dilly Casserole Bread
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup large curd cottage cheese...how farmy is that?
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon instant dried minced onion
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
2 Teaspoons dried dill seeds
1 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
2 1/4 - 2 1/2 cups flour
Sprinkle yeast over water and dissolve
Heat cottage cheese till just warm
Combine in bowl with sugar, onion,butter, dill seeds, salt and baking soda
Add egg
Add dissolved yeast
Add enough flour to make a stiff batter
Beat well
Cover and let rise about 60 minutes or till doubled
Stir down and put into a well greased 8 " round casserole....I went cast iron skillet
Cover and let 40 minutes...( I let mine go 2 hours and it was fine)
Bake at preheated 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. If it starts getting too brown cover it with foil...( I didn't need to)
Remove from oven and rub the top with a dollop of butter and sprinkle with sea salt
( You don't have to, but it makes the top shiny and pretty..and it tastes GOOD)
Your kitchen will smell good and everybody will be HAPPY
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