French country bread - pain de campagne

3 loaves

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Warm water (105F to 115F)
1 tablespoon Honey
1 Envelope dry yeast
2¾ cup Warm water (105F to 115F)
1 Envelope dry yeast
6 cups (about) bread flour
1 cup Rye flour
1 cup (about) plus 1 T bread flour
¾ cup Rye flour
1½ tablespoon Fine sea salt

Directions

STARTER

BREAD

STARTER: Mix water and honey in medium bowl. Add yeast; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, 10 minutes. Add ½ cup rye flour and ½ cup bread flour; stir to combine. Add remaining ½ cup rye flour. Mix in enough bread flour to form shaggy mass that can be worked with hands. Turn out starter onto floured surface; knead 3 minutes, adding more bread flour if too sticky to work. (Starter will be doughlike in texture at this point.) Sprinkle 1 tablespoon bread flour in medium bowl. Add starter dough to bowl. Cover with plastic; let stand at room temperature overnight (starter will lose its shape and spread to a thick batter).

BREAD: Place ¼ cup warm water in small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over; stir to dissolve. Mix 3 cups bread flour and rye flour in bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast mixture and remainig 2½ cups warm water; mix on low speed to blend. Add 1 cup bread flour; beat 4 minutes. Add another 1 cup bread flour and beat 4 minutes. Add enough bread flour to form shaggy mass; beat 4 minutes. Add salt and starter; continue mixing until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, adding more bread flour if too sticky to form dough, about 5 minutes.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; turn to coat. Transfer dough to large bowl. Cvoer with kitchen towel. Let rise at room temperature 1 hour.

Generously flour 1 heavy large baking sheet and 1 heavy medium baking sheet. Punch dough down. Turn out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth, 2 minutes. Divide into 3 equal portions. Shape each into ball. Place 2 balls on large sheet and 1 on medium sheet. Cover with kitchen towels. Let rise at room temperature until doubled (test by pressing 2 fingers gently into dough; if indentations remain, dough has risen compltely), about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450F. Place baking pan in bottom of oven; add water to create steam. Using sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal slits across top of each loaf. Place baking sheet with 2 loaves in oven. Bake until breads are deep brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack. Place remaining loaf in oven. Bake until bread is deep brown and souds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.

Bon Appetit May 94 Typed by Didi Pahl

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