Italian Rustic Loaf
Italian Rustic Loaf
Ingredients
200g Organic Stoneground White Bread Flour
200g Organic Stoneground Spelt Flour
300g lukewarm water (Temperature required, see explanation on the recipe)
8g Humble Yeast
2g Sugar
5g Salt
Extra flour for kneading
Method
- To calculate the water temperature required (24°C). Dough temperature required multiply by three, minus room temperature, minus flour temperature.
- Combine the flours in a mixing bowl and mix together for 1 minute.
- Add yeast, 270g of water and sugar and mix for 7minutes on speed 1, (By hand for approx. 10 minutes)
- Add remaining water and salt and knead for another 7 minutes on speed 2, (By hand approx. 15 minutes).
- Turn out the dough onto a worktop and fold and stretch. Three full letter folds, left over right, right over left, bottom over top, top over bottom. Use some olive oil to ease the process. Transfer to a bowl, cover with an oiled clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm space for about three and a half, four hours or until doubled the size.
- Rest the dough for another 8 hours in the fridge, before returning the dough to the room temperature for 1/2 hour to acclimatise.
- Take out of the bowl and redo the fold and stretch. Three full letter folds as per previous process. Choose shape of your choice. Place the dough wrapped in a cloth and into a banneton/basket, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise until double again – approximately one two hours.
- Place the loaf onto a tray lined with baking paper and cook for 45 minutes in preheated oven at 220°C. To obtain a nice crust, try to create a little steam just before you place the loaf into the oven. You can achieve this by placing a small cup of boiling water just before you insert the loaf.
I like to place my dough into a preheated pot in a preheated over at 220°C initially for 25 minutes with the lid on, followed by 20 more minutes without the lid. With this method you would not need to add any steam.
Recipe by Davide Alberti for Flour Pantry