2 medium loaves or 6 rolls

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

1/4 cup raisins

2-1/2 cups hot water

1 cube fresh yeast

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

3-1/4 cups flour

Method:

Put the raisins and the hot water in a large bowl. Let the raisins soak 15 minutes.

Dissolve the yeast in the raisin water; add salt, sugar, and oil.

Add the oatmeal and walnuts. Mix well.

Mix in 3-1/4 cups flour. This should make a loose dough that's just starting to leave the sides of the bowl.

Cover the sponge with a damp towel or plastic wrap and put it aside at room temperature for one hour. Or leave it overnight in the fridge. In either case, it should rise till doubled.

Note: if the dough is refrigerated, let it come to room temperature when you take it out of the fridge, then proceed to the next step.

Mix 2 to 2-1/2 cups of flour into the dough, sprinkling it on by quarter-cups and kneading it to make a moist dough.

Knead 10 minutes or stretch and fold the dough.

Cover the dough and allow it rise till doubled.

Deflate the dough. Stretch and fold it a few times, then shape it into loaves. The dough should be sticky, so it helps to oil your hands. Let the loaves rise till they're very light, showing a few blisters under the surface skin of the dough.

Bake at 350° - 180° for 30 minutes. Turn the loaves upside down and bake another 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick poked through comes out clean.