Rustic Country Bread
For a big, hearty, earthy bread, try this. The mixture of whole wheat, rye
and white flour is incredibly good. It's worth getting some unglazed quarry
tiles to bake this on so that you can enjoy the authentic professional bakery
crust. As with all breads based on a fermented sponge, the flavor becomes
more intense as the sponge ferments longer. However, the sponge will die if
left too long. I recommend leaving this sponge for 12-24 hours (longer in
cold weather). This recipe was suggested by one in Cook's Illustrated,
Jan/Feb. 1995.
Ingredients
- Sponge
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. yeast
- 1 cup bread flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- Bread
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup rye flour
- 1 T honey
- 1 T Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cup tap water, 70-80° F.
- coarse corn meal
Oven Temp: 450°
Yield: 1 large loaf
Mix all sponge ingredients,
and let sit for 12-14 hours. Put first 4 bread ingredients and sponge in the
work bowl of a food processor fitted with the plastic blade. Mix well while
adding water. Knead well until the dough is smooth and the texture of your
earlobe. You might need to add additional bread flour. Grease a large bowl
with 1 T oil, put the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Let the
dough rise for 3 hrs. Punch down dough, and shape into a round loaf. Place
in muslin (flour coated) lined basket with the less attractive side up. Cover
with foil, allow to rise for 45 min. Arrange the oven shelves so that the
oven is divided into thirds. Put a pan with cold water on the bottom shelf of
the oven, cover the upper shelf with tiles. Turn loaf unto a peel, coated
with corn meal. Transfer the loaf to the hot tiles, slit the top in 3 or 4
lines, and bake 35-45 min. until the bread internal temperature is 210°.
Turn off oven, crack door, leave 10 minutes. Cool 15-20 min. on rack before
serving.