Pizza Sauce Bread

Yes, Pizza Sauce Bread. It was the most creative name I could think of for this bread that smells and tastes just like pizza sauce. I made this bread for this month's Bread Baking Day (my first!), the theme being Colored Breads. I had been wanting to make a tomato based bread for a long time, so I decided that this would be as good a time as any. This recipe is one I adapted from some place on the internet and I'm glad I can say that I made it my own. The tomato sauce turned the dough a nice salmon color with flecks of dark green or black from the Italian seasoning. The finished product is a lovely burnt orange. What can I say? I take my inspiration from Crayola. Putting together the dough was amazingly simple, requiring barely any effort at all. It's a wonderfully fragrant and soft loaf that is pretty good all by its lonesome. I can't really think of what toppings would be appropriate... other than cheese... then it would really be Pizza Bread. With the success of this bread.. I'm kind of feeling inspired.....

Pizza Sauce Bread

8 ounces tomato sauce (I used Tomato sauce already flavored with basil and oregano)
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Italian seasoning
some sourdough toss off-- about 1/4 cup
1 3/4 tsp yeast
Flour as needed

Place the tomato sauce, water, sugar and oil in a bowl.
Add the salt and yeast,

Italian seasoning and sourdough toss off to the bowl,

and stir reallllllly well to combine and dissolve it all.

Begin adding flour to the batter until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface,

until smooth. Shape into a ball,

and place it in a clean, greased bowl to ferment until doubled in size. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen this may take anywhere from an hour to two hours.

Once the loaf has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a sandwich loaf.

Place it in a loafpan for its final proof.

When the loaf has almost doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake about 30-45 minutes until the loaf has browned well on top and is wonderfully fragrant. Give it some extra time if you're not sure. The underside of the loaf should be well browned, too.

The final product in all its orange glory. Immediately turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Slice and enjoy!Thanks Boaz for a wonderfully inspiring Bread Baking Day!