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I wanted to share this recipe with you. Although time consuming, it's very simple and makes a European peasant style loaf. The best part is you can add ingredients to make just about any flavor and works well with white or wheat flour. I could of let this loaf bake a little longer, but I like my crust a little lighter otherwise it tends to get hard.
Peasant Loaf
Time: about 1 ½ hour plus 18 to 24 hours’ rising
Ingredients:
3 cups
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Flour, more for dusting
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¼ teaspoon
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Instant yeast
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1 ¼ teaspoon
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Salt
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1 ¼ cup
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Water
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Cornmeal as needed
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Directions:
1. In
large bowl combine flour, yeast and
salt. Add water, and stir until blended;
dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover
with plastic wrap. Let dough rest 18 to 24 hours at room temperature
2. Dough
is ready when surface is dotted with bubbles.
Lightly flour a work surface and place and dough on it; sprinkle it with
a little more flour and fold over itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest
15 minutes.
3. Using
just enough flour to keep dough from sticking gently and quickly shape dough
into a ball. Generously coat a cotton
towel (not terrycloth) with cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and
dust with more cornmeal. Cover with
another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 to 3 hours.
4. At
least ½ hour before dough is ready; heat oven to 450°. Put a 6 to 8 quart covered pot (a covered
casserole dish works well) in oven as it heats. When it ready, carefully remove pot from
oven. Slide your hand under towel and
turn dough over into a pot, seam side up.
Shake pan once or twice to evenly distribute dough. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then
remove lid and bake until brown
