Tomato-caraway Bread

Prepare a baking sheet, Teflon or coated with cornmeal; this recipe makes
two slender loaves.

In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup flour and the yeast.

Pour tomato juice in a saucepan, then add butter, salt and sugar. Warm over
low heat to melt or soften the butter to a temperature of 120 to
130-degrees F. (I use a Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave).

Add tomato mixture to flour and beat for 50 strokes by hand or 30 seconds
on low speed by mixer with flat beater. Add 1/2 cup flour and beat 150
strokes by hand or for 3 minutes at moderate speed with mixer.

Continue to add flour and mix. Switch to dough hook if using mixer after
about 2 cups flour have been incorporated in dough. When finished, dough
should be a soft mass that cleans the sides of the bowl.

If kneading by hand, turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and
knead for about 10 minutes. By mixer, knead until the dough is a soft ball
on the dough hook – again about 10 minutes. Add sprinkles of flour if dough
is too sticky.

Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Set aside until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough onto the floured work surface and divide into 2 pieces. Roll
each pice back and forth under your palms until it forms a narrow cylinder
anbout 18 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Place on the baking sheet.

Cover with wax or parchment paper and allow to rise until the loaves have
doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees about 20 minutes before baking.

About three minutes before baking, brush the loaves with the beaten egg and
sprinkle with the caraway or other seeds.

Place on the middle shelf of the moderate oven. When lightly browned and
tapping the bottom crust results in a hollow sound, the loaves are done,
about 30 minutes.

Place on a metal rack to cool before slicing or freezing.