The hand bread from Dresden

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g wheat flour type 1050 or type 450
• 1 cube of fresh yeast
• 300 ml water, lukewarm
• Flour for the work surface
• 150 g grated cheese (Gouda or pizza cheese)
• 100 g cooked ham (back ham)
• 1 can mushrooms, sliced
• 200 g sour cream or dip (see text)
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 55 minutes

the classic from ‘Rock im Park’

This is a recipe for hand bread, which many will surely recognize from “Rock im Park.” Hearty and a good base for any hungry festival-goer. It’s perfect for the next party. Weigh the flour, add a little salt (or other spices if desired), and make a small well in the center into which you crumble the yeast. Pour in all the lukewarm water and let it rest for a few minutes. Then knead thoroughly with a hand mixer until you have a smooth and elastic dough that easily pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Let it rise in a warm place for 50 minutes. Preheat the oven to 240°C (top/bottom heat). The dough should have risen slightly. Divide into two equal portions and roll out one half into an oblong shape on a floured surface. Flatten the long dough slightly in the middle so that you can spread the ingredients for your filling on it. First add the cheese, then the mushrooms and ham. Roll out the other portion of dough in the same way and place it on top of your filling, pressing the edges together firmly. Where you want to separate the loaves, you can either make a small cut in your bread or simply use the back of a knife to create a “breaking point.” Dust with a little flour. Bake in a hot oven for about 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly. Then divide into the required portions and top each with a dollop of sour cream or dip to serve. Tip: If you can’t get hold of sour cream, you can substitute it with a dip; you could make one in the meantime. Mix sour cream with sour cream and season with pepper, salt, and a dash of lemon juice. Fresh chives or finely chopped pickles round out the whole thing wonderfully.