Nina Paley's Effing Delicious Herb Bread

Nina Paley, American cartoonist and gifted, (should I add controversial?) animator; recently posted a recipe for a @*%&ing delicious herb bread. I tried it and being that this is a G rated blog, it WAS effing delicious! With Nina's permission I am posting her recipe exactly as she did.

2.5 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 package dry yeast
1/4 c olive oil
2 c bread flour
2 c whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup Trader Joe's "21 Seasonings Salute" herb mix 
(I used Victorian Epicure's Sundried Tomato and Herb Dip Mix)

 
dissolve sugar in water, add yeast and oil, let sit 5-10 minutes. Mix herbs, salt, and 1-2 c flour; add to yeast water. Stir, keep adding flour until you have to knead it. Knead, knead, add more flour, etc. Let rise in oiled bowl covered w/ damp cloth for 2 hours, while you buy some amazing Assyrian art books Strand Bookstore and pick up your Brompton from Bfold. Knead again, roll into oblong, place on parchment paper on baking pan, let rise 45 minutes to an hour. Brush top with water, slash some diagonals on top, shake on more herb mix and sesame seeds. Bake 30-40 minutes in upstairs neighbor's preheated 350-degree oven, which is much better than yours because he just remodeled his kitchen, whereas your oven is decades old and burns everything, until golden/done.

Awesome bread rising....(I added 1/2 cup of flax seed to the above recipe)

Braided loaf rising by the warmth of the oven light

For more awesomeness from Nina....visit her blog at http://blog.ninapaley.com/

Also be sure to catch her animated film Sita Sings the Blues, adapted from the Ramayana

http://sitasingstheblues.com/

Thanks Nina!!