Something Seasonal - Pumpkin Sandwich Bread

It is hard to believe, but this is my 150th post to breadmanTalking! Wow! I hope all of you, my readers and followers, are enjoying this as much as I am. When I started back in 2009, I never realized how much I had to share about bread, and how much fun this would be. Thank you all for coming along for the ride. I love your comments with suggestions and ideas. And, of course, the compliments! So let's get on with post number 150, and get ready for the next 150!

When I think of tastes that I associate with the Fall, there are some very specific things on my list. Root vegetables of all kinds, like potatoes, onions and carrots. Whole grained bread with nuts. Pumpkin. And Maple (probably because I'm originally Canadian). I think of pecan pies and apple pies. Thick soups (especially with barley).

Now, in Israel we don't really have the same kind of pumpkin like in Canada. You know the kind... orange and fairly large. The kind they carve for Halloween to make a jack o'lantern. But we do have something very close. A first cousin that is larger and with a cream colored peel. The flesh is a deep orange just like its North American cousin, and the flavor almost identical. So recently I was asked to bake a pumpkin pie, which came out quite good, and now I have made a pumpkin bread. Not a quick bread you slice for dessert and slather with honey, but a sandwich bread, you slice and cover with mustard. And cold cuts. Yum!

Here's What You'll Need:
3 1/2 cups (about 500 g) AP flour, sifted
1 Tbs. instant dry yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar (brown sugar, if you have it)
1 large egg
2 Tbs. oil
about 350 g cooked pumpkin, mashed but NOT pureed
enough lukewarm water to make a soft dough

Here's What You'll Need To Do:
1. Sift together the flour, yeast, salt and sugar.

2. Add the egg and oil and mix.

3. Add the pumpkin, well drained if wet, and stir it in.

4. Add the water, a little at a time, while mixing by hand, until it forms a dough.

5. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and continue kneading for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and shiny, and only slightly sticky. You will have to add more flour as you knead because the pumpkin is wet.

6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let it rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

7. Shape the dough into a loaf form and place into an oiled 23 X 13 cm (9 X 5 in) loaf pan. Spread to cover the entire area of the pan, then cover to rise again until it rises just past the top of the pan.

8. About 20 minutes before bake time, preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes or until it is a rich deep brown, and sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom.

9. Cool on a rack before slicing.