Italian for “baked earth”, Terracotta has been around for a long time. It was the only clay produced by Western and pre-Columbian people until the 14th century when European higher fired stoneware began production. Terracotta has been used throughout history for sculpture and pottery, as well as bricks and roof shingles. In ancient times, the first clay sculptures were dried or “baked” in the sun after being formed. Later they were placed in the ashes of open hearths to harden, and finally kilns were used, similar to those used for pottery today.

One of the most famous examples of the use of “baked clay” for sculpture would have to be the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Xian. This collection of sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China were discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging a well. The figures dating from the 3rd century BC include warriors, chariots and horses. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits.

To season your pots:

Cooks Note: Seasoning the terracotta for first time use requires some preparation. I would recommend that you do this as a separate project from baking bread. Once the pots are seasoned you need only to oil before use.

Only use new pots. Thoroughly scrub with warm soapy water using a Dobie or 3M pad (this will help remove any small burrs).  Rinse well. Completely submerge the pots in water and soak them for several hours. Allow them to dry overnight.

Heat your oven to 350° F. Stand the pots on a baking sheet. Using a paper towel, apply a liberal coat of shortening to the inside. Be sure to do the bottom and the rim as well. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and repeat. Apply more shortening to the hot pots, being careful not to burn your hands (I used tongs to hold the pot while I apply the shortening). Place the pots back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Repeat this process until the pots will absorb no more oil. It is amazing how much the new pots will absorb, so don’t be surprised if you have to repeat the process five or six times.

Your pots are now ready for bread, and can be used over and over. The more you use them, the better they work.

To bake bread in terracotta pots:

Cooks note: You can use any bread recipe you like, or a basic French bread works extremely well.

Liberally grease the insides and the rims of the pots with shortening. If the pot has a hole in the bottom cut a circle out of parchment paper and place inside the greased pot. Spray the paper again with cooking oil.

Use any bread recipe you like following the directions. After your first rise, punch down the dough and form into a ball and drop into the pots. The dough should fill the pots just slightly over half. Cover and allow dough to rise again (terracotta helps dough to rise, it also seems to speed up the process).

Stand the pots on a baking sheet and place in the oven at 375° F for about 20 minutes (baking time will vary depending on size of pots). When the bread has a golden crust, remove from the oven and stand on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before turning bread out of the pots.

You can also bake bread in your grill using an indirect method. Heat one half of the grill on high. Place the pots over the half with no heat and close the lid. Grill for about 15 – 20 minutes.

Clean the pots using only warm water.