Rustic Bread

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Yield: 1 large loaf

Ingredients

  • Poolish
    • 150g water, room temperature
    • 150g flour
    • 2 pinches yeast (roughly 1/8 tsp)
  • Bread
    • 280g water
    • 2g yeast
    • 350g flour
    • 50g whole wheat flour
    • 10g salt

Directions

The mixing technique is hard to describe.  I recommend watching Brian's video showing the technique.  The top of my loaf got a little squished on the lid; next time I'll use a larger Dutch oven to give it more room to rise during baking.
  1. To make the poolish, combine the water, flour, and yeast in a container.  Mix well.  Cover and leave at room temperature to ferment for 16-24 hours.
  2. After the poolish has fermented, to make the bread dough combine the water, yeast, and all of the poolish.  Stir to combine.
  3. Add the flour and salt.  With a spoon, mix together until it forms a dough.  It'll be sticky.
  4. With a wet hand, finish the mixing.  The ideal motion is to grab the side of the dough, squeeze, rotate the bowl, and repeat.  Continue for about 60-90 seconds.
  5. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  6. With a wet hand, mix together.  The ideal motion is to scoop from the side, pull up into the air, and fold back over the dough.  Rotate the bowl and repeat 8-10 times until it becomes more firm.
  7. Scoop the dough from the side, lift all the dough into the air, and then tuck and drop back into the bowl.  Repeat 6-7 times.  This will form it into a ball.
  8. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  9. Repeat steps 6 & 7.
  10. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 60 minutes.
  11. Turn out all the dough on a work surface.
  12. Grab a side, pull it out, and fold it into the center.  Repeat along the outside of the dough.
  13. Once the dough has formed into a ball, grab opposing sides and do a crisscross fold into the middle.  Repeat 3-4 more times.  Flip the dough over, placing the seam-side down.
  14. Placing your hands at 10 & 2, grab the dough ball and create tension while rotating the loaf.  Repeat 4-6 times.
  15. Line a bowl with a tea towel and flour lightly.  Flip the dough into the bowl with the seam-side up.
  16. Let rise uncovered for 40-60 minutes.
  17. While the dough is rising, preheat a Dutch oven to 500°F.
  18. Place a pan in the oven with hot water.  This will keep the air moist while the bread is cooking.
  19. Transfer the dough into the Dutch oven, seam side down.  Use scissors to score the top.
  20. Cover and bake at 485°F for 18 minutes.
  21. Uncover and continue baking at 485°F for 20-30 additional minutes, until the top is golden brown.
  22. Remove from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack.
This bread makes great grilled cheese sandwiches.

Adapted from Brian Lagerstrom.




























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