Onion Bread

A an easy recipe for home baked bread which tastes fab with anything. Why not try it with a steaming hot bowl of your favourite soup.

1. 1

   1. Stir together water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
   2. Stir together 21/2 cups flour and 11/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl, then add yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons oil and stir until a dough forms.
   3. Place dough onto a floured surface and knead, adding enough of remaining cup flour, as needed to prevent stickiness, about 8 minutes.
   4. Form dough into a ball and put in to an oiled large bowl, turning to coat with oil.
   5.Cover bowl with cling film and let dough rise in a warm room until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
   6.Cook onions in remaining tablespoon oil with remaining teaspoon salt over moderately low heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
   7. Transfer dough to a 15"x10"x1" baking pan and stretch, first by pulling with your hands, then by pressing your fingertips into dough and working outward from center, until dough fills pan.
   8. Use a fork to prick dough all over at 1" intervals, leaving a 1-inch border all around sides.
   9. Cover loosely with oiled cling film (oiled side down). Let dough rise slightly in a warm room, 30 minutes.
   11. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 200c.
   12. Gently brush dough with some egg wash.
   13. Scatter onions evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border, then sprinkle with Nigella or poppy seeds.
   14. Bake until top is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a rack to cool slightly.
   15. Cut into roughly 3-inch squares before serving.