Portuguese Sofrito Bread (A B M)

Based on a recipe from Madge Rosenberg’s delightful cookbook, The Best Bread Machine Cookbook Ever – Ethnic Breads. She says, “In Portugal, slowly sautéed onions are called sofrito, a deeply flavored beginning, or base, for dishes with rice or potatoes and for stews. The Italian soffritto adds herbs and celery; the Columbian adds annatto seeds. With roasted meat or chicken from any country, pass this Portuguese sofrito bread, or make an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich to remember.” The default measurements are for a small 1 pound loaf; I have placed measurements for a large 1 ½ pound loaf in parentheses. I listed 4 hours as the bake time; your bread machine may have a quicker basic bread cycle. NOTE: be sure to use cooked rice! I haven’t tried this yet.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 20 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 2  large onions (3)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil (3 tablespoons)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 2  cups bread flour (3 cups)
• 1  tablespoon sugar (1 1/2 tablespoons)
• 1  teaspoon salt (1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 1⁄2 cup rice, cooked (3/4 cup)
• 2  tablespoons yellow cornmeal (3 tablespoons)
• 1⁄3 cup water (1/2 cup)

Directions

1. Cut onions into ½-inch dice. Saute slowly in olive oil until translucent and barely golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Add all ingredients including the sautéed onions to your bread machine in the order recommended by its manufacturer, and select the bread cycle.