From a special request from QC, here is a first time bread for me: Sheepherders Bread.

During the California Gold Rush, Basque immigrants in the Owen’s Valley missed their home country’s bread. The loaves were hand shaped and baked in stone ovens. They still do so in bakeries where this traditional bread is produced.

I, on the other hand, used a stand mixer to mix and knead the bread and a built-in oven to bake it. Time rolls on.

I changed the measurements to grams from volume, because that is who I am. I also divided the dough into two loaves after proofing. This made it easier to distribute the finished bread to my QC Cadre (neighbors.) Also, this bread is enormous and I don’t have a baking vessel large enough to handle it.

Sheepherders Bread AP Flour

INGREDIENTS
• 708 g (3 c) water (110 -120⁰F)
• 112 g (½ c) butter or ½ cup shortening
• 67 g (1/3 c) sugar
• 15 g (2 ½ tsp) salt
• 13.5 g (4 ½ tsp) active dry yeast
• 1330 g (9 ½ c) AP unsifted

METHOD

1. In a bowl, combine water, butter, sugar and salt. Stir until butter melts and cool to 110-115⁰ F. Stir in yeast, cover and set in warm place until bubbly, about 15 minutes.
2. Add 700 g (5 cups) flour and beat to form thick batter. Stir in enough of remaining flour (about 490g or 3 ½ cups) to form stiff dough. Turn out on floured board and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
3. Turn dough into greased bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 ½ hours. Punch down and knead to form smooth ball.
4. Grease inside of dutch oven and inside of lid with olive oil. Place dough in dutch oven and cover with lid to let rise in a warm place for ~30 min, until dough pushes up lid about ½ inch (watch closely).
5. Bake covered with lid in 375⁰ F oven for 12 minutes, carefully remove lid and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and turn out on rack to cool.