Bread with Fruit and Nuts

– sift the flour onto a large bowl;

– add the crushed yeast, then pour the water;

– mix everything together with a spoon for a few minutes;

– add the egg and mix well;

– add the pinch of salt;

– add the dried fruit and the chopped figs and nuts;

– mix well then add the oil;

– keep kneading with the spoon till you get a ball of dough;

– cover the bowl with cling film, then allow it to rest inside the switched off oven for 2 hours or till it doubles its volume;

– dust the working surface with flour, then take half a dough and flat it with your fingers to shape it into a rectangle;

– start working it as follow: fold the longer side towards the center, and then fold the other free side towards the center too. You have obtained a cylinder. Fold one side of the cylinder towards the center and then fold the other side over it.

– round the edges with your hands, shape your loaf and place it on the baking tray or inside a dusted loaf baking tray;

– do the same with the remaining dough;

– cover the breads with a kitchen towel and put them back in the switched off oven for another 40/60 minutes or till they doubled their size;

– remove the breads from the oven, and bring the latter to it highest temperature;

– put the breads in the oven and spray the bottom of the oven with water, close the door immediately;

– after 5 minutes, bring down the temperature to 200 degrees and bake for about 40 minutes;

– remove the bread from the oven and transfer it onto wire cooling rack;

– wait till bread reach room temperature before slicing it