ST. AUGUSTINE BREAD

This relatively quick Cuban-style yeast bread is crusty and delicious and requires no kneading. It does not last well, so you'll have to eat it all at one sitting. What a shame!

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1-1/4 teas. salt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 Tablespoon sugar
6 to 7 cups sifted flour (all-purpose or bread)
Corn meal

In large bowl, dissolve yeast in water and add sugar and salt. Stir well and let stand for a few minutes. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating with a wooden spoon to make fairly stiff dough. When thoroughly mixed, shape into a ball and place in greased bowl. Grease top of dough. cover with a towel and let stand in warm place until double in bulk. Roughly an hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and shape into two long-French-style loaves. Arrange on baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal. Also sprinkle loaves fairly heavily with cornmeal. Allow to rise for five minutes. Slash the tops of each loaf in two or three places with scissors or knife. Brush loaves with cold water and place them in a COLD oven. Have a pan of boiling water on the bottom of the oven. Bake at 400 degrees about 45 minutes until loaves are crusty and done.