Still Life: Country Bread

[Guest guest]

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Country Bread

 

Recipe By : Still Life with Menu (1994), Mollie Katzen, page 41

Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Breads

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1 package active dry yeast

3 tablespoons brown sugar -- (packed), up to 4

4 tablespoons soft butter

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups oat flour

1 cup rye or whole wheat flour

3 cups unbleached white flour -- (more or less)

oil for the bowl and the dough

cornmeal for dusting the baking sheet

 

Preparation time: 3 to 4 hours, most of which Is rising time. Yield: 1

large or 2 small loaves.

 

Oat flour gives these tender loaves a slightly sweet flavor. You can find

oat flour at most natural food stores, packaged in 2-pound bags. Or you

can easily make it yourself by grinding rolled oats to the consistency of

fine meal in a blender.

 

The unbaked loaves can be stored for several days in the

refrigerator. Just be sure you wrap them airtight in a plastic bag. They

can go directly from the refrigerator into a preheated oven.

 

1. Place the water in a large bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and the sugar,

and let it stand 5 minutes, until foamy.

 

2. Add butter and salt, and mix well.

 

3. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beginning with all the oat and rye or whole

wheat. Then add as much white flour as needed to make a firm dough. Mix

between additions with a wooden spoon at first, and then graduate to your

hands as the mixture thickens.

 

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for 5 to 10

minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Add small amounts of additional

flour if it gets sticky.

 

5. Oil the bowl (it isn't necessary to clean it first), put the kneaded

dough in the bowl, and oil the top surface of the dough. Cover with a

clean tea towel, and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled in

bulk. (This can take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the

temperature of your kitchen.)

 

6. Punch down the dough, and turn it out again on a floured

surface. Knead 5 minutes more and then form 1 large or 2 small loaves,

either round or baguette shaped. Make a few small slashes on top of each

loaf with a sharp knife.

 

7. Sprinkle a baking tray generously with cornmeal. Place the loaf or

loaves on top, and let them rise for about 45 minutes.

 

NOTE: At this point, the loaves may be wrapped loosely in a very large

sealed plastic bag and refrigerated for up to 48 hours before baking. The

loaves can go directly from the refrigerator into the oven.

 

8. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake for about 50 minutes (large loaf) or 40 to

45 minutes (small ones) or until the bread gives out a hollow sound when

thumped resolutely on the bottom.

 

NOTE: For a crustier surface, lightly spray the baking loaves every 10

minutes with water from a plant mister.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -