Recipe – Crusty Bread With Smoked Tomato Butter
Ingredients
| For the Butter | For the Bread |
| 6 medium sized ripe tomatoes | 10g active dry yeast |
| 1 tsp salt | 1 tsp sugar |
| Freshly ground black pepper | 1 1/4 cups warm water |
| 1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped | 1 1/4 tsp salt |
| Fresh chives, finely chopped | 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups plain flour |
| 250g good quality unsalted butter, at room temperature |
Directions
Step 1 – Soak your preferred wood chips (pecan, cherry or apple are ideal) for 1 hour in water.
Step 2 – Heat your barbecue to low heat (160°C) with two zone heat. If you are using a charcoal grill, keep at least half of the charcoal grate clear of briquettes or charcoal as a zone of indirect heat. If you are using a gas BBQ, light a burner on one side of the BBQ only. If you are using a Weber Q, set up the BBQ for indirect cooking with a trivet and convection tray. Once the BBQ has reached temperature, drain the wood chips, place them in the smoker box and place the smoker box directly onto grill surface. Close the BBQ lid.
Step 3 – Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the pulp and seeds. Season the cut side of the tomatoes with salt, pepper and oregano. Ensure plenty of smoke is being generated from smoker box. Place the tomatoes cut side up onto the trivet or grill, away from direct heat. Close the lid and smoke the tomatoes for 30 minutes. Remove from the grill and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, remove the skin from the tomatoes.
Step 4 – Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix together and allow to sit for around 10 minutes; the mixture should start to foam. Add the flour and salt and mix until the dough starts to come together and all of the ingredients are combined. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for one hour or until the mixture has doubled in size.
Step 5 – Tip the dough out onto a floured surface, handling lightly to retain the air bubbles. Shape the dough, pulling each side of the dough towards the centre to form a rough circle. Place back into the bowl, seam side down and allow to rest for another 30 minutes.
Step 6 – Heat your barbecue to medium – high heat (220 – 240°C) with two zone heat. Place a Dutch oven and lid into the BBQ to preheat.
Step 7 – Lay a piece of baking paper on the work surface, tip the dough gently onto the paper and place the dough and the paper into the hot Dutch oven. Place the lid on the Dutch oven, close the BBQ lid and bake the bread for 30 minutes, away from direct heat. After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven and bake the bread for another 20 – 30 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown on top.
Step 8 – Once cooked, use the corners of the baking paper to lift the bread out of the Dutch oven and set the loaf aside on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Step 9 – While the bread is cooling, squeeze any excess moisture from the smoked tomatoes and blend the flesh together with the fresh chives and softened butter in a food processor until well combined. Check for seasoning before serving with thick slices of the bread.
