Black Pepper Bread

Ingredients

5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons melted unsalted butter
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons freshly cracked or ground black pepper
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (about 110?F)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Grease the bottom and sides of a loaf pan with 2 teaspoons of the butter, and dust with 1 tablespoon of the pepper, tapping out any excess.

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the water. Add sugar, salt, egg, and 2 tablespoons of the pepper and whisk until thoroughly blended. Add the flour and 4 tablespoons of the butter and mix gently with your hands just until you have a smooth ball of dough. Press the dough gently into the loaf pan, cover with a towel, place in a warm spot, and allow to rise for 1 hour. The dough will have risen up over the rim of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Make a shallow slit in the dough lengthwise down the center, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and sprinkle the top of the loaf with the remaining 2 teaspoons pepper. Bake until brown and firm, for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and the pan and allow to cool on a rack before serving.

Yield: 1 loaf