Garden Tomato Bread

3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 lb ripe tomatoes
Biga (recipe follows) room temperature
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup bread flour - (about)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

In the bowl of a standing mixer or another large bowl, sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm (100 to 110 degrees) water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse and core tomatoes; cut each in half crosswise. Squeeze juice and seeds into a bowl; cut tomatoes into 1/2-inch chunks. You need 1/4 cup juice with seeds (if you have less than 1/4 cup, add water to make up the difference; if you have more, discard extra) and 3 1/2 cups tomato chunks. Add Biga, tomatoes and juice, tomato paste, parsley, sage, garlic, thyme, pepper, whole-wheat flour, 2 cups bread flour, and salt to yeast mixture. Beat with paddle attachment on low speed, or stir with a heavy spoon, until well blended. Gradually beat or stir in 1 1/2 more cups bread flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until mixture forms a soft dough.

Switch to a dough hook and beat on medium speed until dough is smooth and elastic and pulls cleanly from sides of bowl but is still slightly sticky, 6 to 8 minutes; or scrape dough onto a lightly floured board and knead by hand until smooth and elastic but still slightly sticky, 7 to 10 minutes. Add pumpkin and sunflower seeds and beat in with dough hook or knead in by hand just until incorporated (after mixing in by hand, place dough in a bowl). Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let dough rise at room temperature until doubled, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Punch down with your hand to expel air.

Re-cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Or for a slow rise, chill at least 8 and up to 12 hours; let come to room temperature, about 3 hours. Scrape dough onto a well-floured board and knead briefly to expel air. Divide in half. With lightly floured hands, gather each half into a ball, then stretch and tuck edges under to shape into two round loaves. Place loaves on a well-floured surface, dust lightly with flour, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until theyre slightly puffy and hold the imprint of a finger when lightly pressed, about 1 1/2 hours.

Sprinkle a 13- by 17-inch baking sheet generously with cornmeal. Transfer loaves, one at a time, to sheet, spacing 2 to 3 inches apart. With a sharp knife, slash a 1-inch-deep X on top of loaf. Place sheet on rack in lower third of a 450 degrees regular or convection oven. Or, if using a baking stone, gently slide edge of cornmeal-covered baking sheet under one loaf and lift it onto end of sheet. Slash as directed above, then gently slide loaf onto one side of stone in oven, leaving room for second loaf. Repeat to slash and transfer second loaf.

Spray 3 to 4 squirts of water on floor or sides of oven, taking care not to spray near heating element or lightbulb, then quickly close door. Bake bread, spraying twice more at 5-minute intervals during the first 10 minutes of baking, until crust is well browned, 35 to 45 minutes total. Transfer loaves to a rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Store in paper bags at room temperature up to 2 days. To recrisp the crust, place loaves directly on a rack in a 400 degrees oven and bake for about 5 minutes. This recipe yields 2 loaves, 1 3/4 pounds each.

Biga (Italian Bread Starter)

TO MAKE 2 1/3 CUPS BIGA:
1/4 Tbsp Active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water -- 105 To 115 Deg F
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp Water -- Room Temp
2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour -- Unbleached

To Make 3 1/2 Cups Biga:
1/2 Tbsp Active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water -- 105 To 115 Deg F
1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tbsp Water -- Room Temp
3 3/4 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Stir the yeast into the warm water and let stand until creamy looking, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining water and then the flour, 1 cup at a time.

By Hand: Mix with a wooden spoon for 3 to 4 minutes.

By Mixer: Mix with the paddle at the lowest speed for 2 minutes.

By Processor: Mix just until a sticky dough is formed.

Rising:
Remove to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at a cool room temperature for 6 to 24 hours. The starter will triple in volume and still be wet and sticky when ready. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. When needed, scoop out desired amount.
Also, it's best to weigh the biga, (like in a small diet scale) rather than trying to get it into a measuring cup, because amounts can vary.