By Amanda Berger
Celebrating the Lord’s Supper at home requires a little bit of forethought, but provides a satisfying experience in both the baking and sharing of this special meal with those we love. Below are two simple recipes for bread, an unleavened bread and a long-rising artisan-style loaf. The unleavened bread is quick–just 15 minutes–and easy enough for kids to help make. For the artisan bread, prep the day before, rise overnight, and then bake.
Making Unleavened Bread
This simple, kid-friendly recipe creates unleavened bread, perfect for celebrating communion. It serves as a reminder of the Passover, when God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Unleavened bread is a traditional part of the Jewish Passover Seder, the same meal celebrated by Jesus with his disciples on the night of his arrest, that we, as Christians celebrate as the Lord’s Supper.
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- Scant 1/3 cup Olive Oil*
- Scant 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and stir with a spoon. Divide dough into six parts, rolling into a ball and then pressing flat on the baking sheet. You can use a knife to score the top of the bread with the symbol of a cross, if desired.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool.
Easy Artisan Bread
Bread is everywhere in scripture. It is the manna that comes from heaven and the food that Jesus chooses to establish his new covenant with his disciples. For millennia, bread has provided the foundation of the human diet with variations found in nearly every world culture. While this recipe requires you to think ahead, it is almost completely hands-off and gives you a perfect crusty loaf that will disappear in minutes.
- 3 cups of All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Dry Yeast
- 1 1/2 cups Warm Water — 115 degrees F
- Corn meal or extra flour
In a large bowl combine flour, salt and yeast. Pour the warm water over the flour mixture and using a wooden spoon, stir to form a dough. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature to about double its size—about 10-12 hours or overnight.
Place a Dutch oven,* with the lid on, into the oven and preheat at 450° F for 30 minutes.
While you wait for the Dutch oven to preheat, place a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and dust it with flour or cornmeal. Transfer the dough to the parchment paper and gather it into a ball.
Carefully take the hot Dutch oven out of the oven and remove the lid. Along with the parchment paper, transfer the dough into the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to 425° F. Remove the lid, continue baking for 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the bread cool inside the Dutch oven for 15 minutes. Then carefully remove loaf and cool to room temperature.
Bread will keep in a paper bag for 2 days at room temperature.
*Any 4- 6 Qt oven-safe pan will work—safe to 450° F.