Keeping it simple with ‘our daily bread’
We know what the Church calls us to do during Lent:
We know what the Church calls us to do during Lent:
Fast, pray and give alms. Perhaps we feel in our hearts that we are prepared to enhance our prayer lives and perform works of mercy for the next several weeks. But fasting? That’s another thing altogether ...
Fast, pray and give alms. Perhaps we feel in our hearts that we are prepared to enhance our prayer lives and perform works of mercy for the next several weeks. But fasting? That’s another thing altogether ...
According to the Church’s current practice, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence (that is, refraining from eating meat), and Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence, too. If this seems like a tough ask, let’s remember that at one point in Church history the number of days set aside for fasting and abstinence was more than 100!
Black fasts, or strict fasts consisting of one vegetarian meal per day in the evening without eggs or dairy, and a small amount of water, were the norm in the early Church through the eighth century. And according to St. Thomas Aquinas writing in the 13th century, Holy Week was a more intense time of fasting, consisting of only bread, herbs, salt and water.
The rosemary & sea salt skillet bread featured here for Lent adds only a couple more ingredients to that list. The directions are not difficult and no kneading is required. Paired with a simple soup, this type of Friday Lenten meal can help serve as a reminder of what the Church calls us to do during these 40 days:
“During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully.” (USCCB, What is Lent?)
Whether you bake this no-knead bread for your family or offer it to a friend or someone in need, embrace the purpose and mission of Lent and seek to do God’s will more faithfully.
Rosemary & sea salt skillet bread
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg. instant yeast
- 2 c. lukewarm water
- 4 ½ c. flour divided in half
- 1 ½ TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped, plus more for crust
- 1 ¼ tsp granular salt
- 1 TBSP flaky sea salt
- 2 TBSP olive oil
Directions:
Brush 1 TBSP olive oil over bottom, sides of 12” cast iron skillet, set aside.
In large bowl, whisk yeast into lukewarm water. Add 2 ¼ c. flour, whisk until well combined. Add granular salt, rosemary, and remaining flour. Stir with spatula until combined and doughy. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap, set in warm spot to rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
Sprinkle hands and dough with flour, especially around the edges where it meets the bowl. Gently separate dough away from bowl, bit by bit, until it’s roughly rounded and can be placed in skillet. (Dough will fill up skillet during the bake.) Cover, let rise again for 30 min while preheating oven to 400º.
Brush remaining 1 TBSP olive oil over the dough. With a sharp knife, cut dough into desired pattern. Sprinkle with sea salt and remaining rosemary.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until top crust is golden.
