Breaking the code, making great bread

Breaking the code, making great bread

By LISA LOSASSO

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

For retired U.S. Navy electrician, John Goodwin of Youngstown, baking started as something to pass the time, and quickly turned into a passion.

About 30 years ago, while serving in the Navy, Goodwin was in a car accident. As a result, he had 25 broken bones. During a long recovery he began baking. “I was sitting at home, bored to death,” he said. “I picked up a cookbook and started baking. The first 10 loaves were horrible.”

With nothing else to do, he kept on trying. “I just kept baking and it got better and better.” Finally mastering the skill of baking bread, he ventured to make other baked goods such as sticky buns. “They came out really good,” he said.

In 1987, he entered the Navy’s Annual Bake-Off in San Diego. His sticky buns took fourth place out of 250 entrants, he being the only electrician. All other entrants were cooks.

According to Goodwin sticky buns take two days to make. “They’re very rich,” he said. “They’re Judge Lanzo’s favorite.”

In addition to sticky buns, Goodwin bakes 57 kinds of bread. Everything he bakes is given to friends and family, and of course, he keeps some at home for him and his wife. His most popular kinds of bread include plain white, cinnamon raisin and banana pepper bread. “The word really gets around,” said Goodwin. “I just get a lot of pleasure out of doing it.”

Although he usually averages about 18 loaves of bread per week, he has made up to 18 loaves per day. Sometimes, he said he goes through 50 pounds of flour per week. He prefers to use butter rather than margarine because it makes the flavor richer. He also uses raw sugar. Sea salt is used to enhance the flavor. Goodwin also uses high gluten flour, powdered milk, powdered yeast and brown eggs when they are available. Goodwin also purchases pecans from a company in Texas. He orders 25 pounds at a time and shells them himself. All of his breads are kneaded by hand.

His favorites are light pumpernickel and cheese breads. “The banana pepper bread makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches,” he said.

More unusual breads include peanut butter bread, braided bread, fruit bread, yogurt potato bread, orange cinnamon bread, beer rye bread and pumpkin raisin cinnamon bread.

Goodwin also makes pizza and 20 different kinds of biscotti.

He is currently looking for a two-tier pizza oven so he can make 12 loaves of bread at a time.

He often brings baked goods to his local bank and to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, where his wife Rosemary works. “She’s a good cook,” he said. “I enjoy helping her.

He explained that when he brings bread to friends and relatives, he usually brings pizza for the kids.

“I like to see the look on people’s faces when I bring them something,” said Goodwin. They smile… That’s why I do it.”

Goodwin isn’t the only baker in the family. His father, Glen Goodwin, who lives in Nash, Texas, bakes diabetic pies for his church and has been baking as long as his son has.

Hearth Bread Pizza

One batch will make 3 thin or 2 thick 12 inch shells. One pizza shell will serve 1 hungry adolescent or 2 people with average appetites.

13‚Ñ4 cups warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 packet or 1 tablespoon sugar

6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1‚Ñ4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

Preparing the dough: Dissolve sugar and yeast in water. Pour into mixing bowl. When yeast is active, add first cup of flour, then oil and salt. Add 41‚Ñ2 cups flour, mixing with a large spoon until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and holds together.

Kneading: Sprinkle the last 1‚Ñ2 cup of flour onto kneading surface. Turn out the dough and knead until it begins to feel as if it really belongs together, adding only enough flour to keep it from sticking to the board or your hands. Let it rest while cleaning and greasing bowl. Continue kneading the relaxed dough until it feels smooth.

Rising: You have three options her:

Full rise: Form dough into a ball. Place it in the greased bowl, turning it so the top is lightly greased also. Cover it and put it where it will be warm and cozy. Let this rise until doubled (when you can poke it with your finger and it doesn’t spring back).

Slow rise: If you want to make up your dough ahead of time (slow rising dough has the best flavor), make it up, with about half the yeast, the morning of your gathering. Cover with greased plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator. It will rise all day. About 14 minutes after you take it out, it will be ready to roll out and decorate.

No rise: If this is a spur-of-the moment party just give your dough a 5-10 minute rest. It won’t have quite the flavor or be as light as a fully risen dough, but it will still be “better than bought.”

Preparing toppings:

Upizza, spaghetti or marinara sauce

Upesto

Ublend of cheeses

Uoregano, basil, red pepper flakes

Usliced or chopped onions, scallions, chives, peppers, mushrooms, olives or minced garlic

Ubroccoli tops, asparagus tips (tender but crunchy

U sliced or diced ham, pepperoni, salami, prosciutto (smoked)

U anchovies, sardines, smoked oysters, clams or other fish

U hamburger or sausage

U capers, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, artichoke hears, pineapple chunks (great with ham)

U lots of grated cheese: mozzarella, Monterey Jack, cheddar, provolone

Shaping the dough:

After dough has risen, punch it down. Turn onto floured board and knead out bubbles. Cut into number of pieces needed.

Flatten each piece with hand and with rolling pin; dusted with flour, roll out each piece like pie dough from center to the outside.

If you like a softer crust, lightly wipe pan with olive oil. If you like dryer crunchier crust, sprinkle with cornmeal. If you don’t have a pizza pan, a pie plate, cake pan, roasting pan or baking sheet with a lip will do just fine.

Put dough into prepared pan. Brush lightly with olive oil to keep topping from soaking in and making it soggy.

Preheat oven:

Before: For added crispiness, you can prebake crust at 475 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes before you decorate it. If it puffs up while baking, just press air out before adding toppings.

Now: If you don’t want to wait, preheat oven to 475 degrees before you start decorating dough. Bake pizza after decorating dough. It won’t be as light.

Later: For lightest, crunchiest crust, this is best choice. Let pizza rise 15-30 minutes after you’ve decorated it. Preheat oven to 475 degrees for at least 15 minutes before baking.

Decorating: Spread pizza crust (baked or unbaked) with sauce, add herbs, add cheese before or after toppings, whichever you prefer.

The longer you let the pizza rest after decorating, the lighter and crunchier the crust will be.

Baking: Place pizza on lowest rack of oven. Check after 5-10 minutes and lower temperature to 450 degrees if browning too quickly.

If shell is prebaked, your pizza will only need 5-10 minutes. If not, bake 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Let cool until cheese solidifies.

Recipe courtesy of John Goodwin.

Pepperoni Rolls

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut Hearth bread dough into six equal pieces. Flour rolling pin. Roll each strip of dough into long strip, about 4-6 inches wide. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with pepperoni and sliced or shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese. Start from bottom of strip and roll upward to end of strip. Pinch ends. With sharp knife, cut three slits in top. Bake, seam-down 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Can also fill with ham and cheese. Be creative.

Corn Bread

3 boxes cornbread mix

1 pint sour cream

3 eggs

1 can cream style corn

1 can corn drained

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Recipe courtesy of John Goodwin

Classic Rich Bread

Rich white bread. Perfect to accompany a meal, to serve toasted for breakfast or to use for French toast.

8 to 81‚Ñ2 cups all-purpose flour

2 packages instant blend dry yeast

3‚Ñ4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

11‚Ñ2 cups milk

1‚Ñ2 cup water

3‚Ñ4 cups butter or margarine

4 eggs

Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Makes 3 loaves.

In large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. In saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until warm (120 to 130 degrees; butter does not need to melt). Add to flour mixture. Add eggs. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a fine dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, 5-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled; about 1 and 1‚Ñ2 hour.

Punch down dough. Divide into 3 parts. On lightly floured surface; Roll or pat each third to a 14x7 inch rectangle. Starting with shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into roll with each turn. Pinch edges and ends to seal. Place in greased 8x4-inch bread pans. Cover. Rise in warm place until double; about 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pans. Cool.

Recipe courtesy of John Goodwin.

Hearty White Bread

A white bread baked with three hearty ingredients.

6 to 61‚Ñ2 cups all-purpose flour

2 packages instant blend dry yeast

1‚Ñ2 cup wheat germ

1‚Ñ4 cup potato flakes

1‚Ñ4 cup nonfat dry milk solids

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups water

2 tablespoons oil

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Makes two loaves.

In large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, yeast, wheat germ, potato flakes, dry milk solids, sugar, and salt; mix well. In saucepan, heat water and oil until warm (120-130 degrees). Add to flour mixture. Add eggs. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a firm dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, 5-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size; about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Divide into 2 parts. On lightly floured surface, roll or pat each half into a 14x7-inch rectangle. Starting with shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing down into roll with each turn. Pinch edges and ends to seal. Place in greased 9x5 or 8x4-inch bread pans. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 45-minutes. Bake at 400 degrees, for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from pans; cool.

Recipe courtesy of John Goodwin.

Brown Bread

2 cups coarse whole wheat flour

1 cake yeast

1 cup scalded milk

1 tablespoon shortening

1 cup cold water

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons molasses

Mix as usual. Add white flour to knead. Work at least 5 minutes. Cover. Let rise 2 hours. Punch down, let rise 1 hour. Knead a few time and make into 2 loaves. Bake at 350 degrees for 1‚Ñ2 hour, then at 425 degrees until done, about 45 minutes more.

Recipe by Mrs. Leroy Crossley, published in Recipes old and new, Women’s Association, The Presbyterian Church, Poland, Ohio.

Spinach Cheese Bread

3 cups Bisquick baking mix

1‚Ñ4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon caraway seed

3 eggs

1 (11-ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 55-65 minutes. Mix all ingredients, except spinach. Beat until well blended, for one minute. Stir in spinach until well blended. Pour into 9x5x3-inch greased loaf pan and bake. Cool 20 minutes and remove from pan.