Peasant Wheat Loaf Food

PEASANT WHEAT LOAF

Steps:

• Place flours, yeast and salt in a Cuisinart food processor fitted with a metal blade, and whirl to blend. Using an instant-read thermometer, determine the temperature of the flour.
• Measure 1 1/4 cups water, adjusting the temperature of the water so that when its temperature and that of the flour are added together, the total is 130.
• Pour in the starter and, with the machine running, pour in the water through the feed tube and process 20 seconds. If the dough seems dry and does not come together to form a ball, add 2 more tablespoons water.
• Process the dough for another 25 seconds. Test the temperature; it should be 75 to 80 degrees. If it is lower, process it at 5-second intervals until it warms. If it is higher, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 3 hours. Turn it onto a lightly floured board, shape it into a round loaf and place it, seam side up, in a well-floured round banneton or a cloth-lined basket. Dust with flour, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 to 16 hours.
• Remove the basket of dough from the refrigerator, and leave at room temperature 1 to 2 hours, until it is about 62 degrees and springs back very slowly when pressed.
• One hour before baking, place a baking stone on a low oven rack and a pan for water on the oven floor. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
• Turn the loaf out, seam side down, onto a bakers' peel heavily dusted with cornmeal. Make four 1/2-inch-deep slashes in the top of the loaf, forming a large square. Dust lightly with flour.
• Pour a cup of hot water into the pan on the bottom of the oven. Slide the loaf directly onto the stone. Reduce heat to 450 degrees, and bake 2 minutes. Add another cup of water to the pan, and bake 15 minutes. Rotate the bread so it bakes evenly, and bake another 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread is a deep brown and the internal temperature has reached about 205 degrees. (Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees during the last 20 minutes if the bread is browning too fast.)
• Remove the bread from the oven, and cool completely on a rack before cutting.

NO-KNEAD PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the bread flour, whole-wheat flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees F) and mix with your hands or a spoon until the dough comes together (it will be wet and sticky). Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap. If you have extra time, refrigerate 12 to 24 hours; this is not necessary but will improve the flavor of the bread.
• Let the dough rise, covered, at room temperature for about 18 hours; this rise is necessary whether you refrigerate the dough first or not. The surface will be bubbly after rising.
• Generously dust a work surface with all-purpose flour. Turn the dough out onto the flour, then sprinkle flour on top. Fold the top and bottom of the dough into the center, then fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a dough scraper or a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a ball.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and generously dust with flour. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet, seam-side down, and sprinkle with more flour. Cover with a cotton kitchen towel (do not use terry cloth) and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.
• Position a rack in the bottom of the oven and place a 2- or 4-quart cast-iron or enameled Dutch oven (without the lid) on the rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F for at least 30 minutes. When the dough has doubled, carefully transfer the hot pot to a heatproof surface. Uncover the dough, lift up the parchment and quickly invert the dough into the pot (shake the pot to center the dough, if necessary). Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until brown and crusty, 15 to 30 more minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

HERBED PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook onion in butter over low heat until tender. Cool for 10 minutes. , Transfer to a large bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, herbs, yeast and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Punch the dough down. Shape into a ball and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes., Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; brush with melted butter. Cool.

NO-KNEAD EUROPEAN PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Mixing Instructions:.
• Mix the yeast and salt with the water in a 5 quart bowl or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
• Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, usings a spoon or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook.
• Note: If not using a mixer you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of the flour.
• Cover (not airthight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
• The dough can be used immediately after rising, however it is easier to handle when cold.
• Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 14 days.
• Baking Instructions.
• Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a grape fruit size piece (1 lb.).
• Dust with more flour and quickily shape into a ball by stretching the surface of dough around to the bottom on all four sides, roating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
• Place on cornmeal-dusted pizza peel and allow to rise for 40 minutes.
• 20 minutes before baking time, preheat oven to 450º F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack.
• Place a cast iron skillet or empty broiler tray on the bottom rack.
• Sprinkle loaf liberally with flour and slash the top using a serrated bread knife.
• Slide loaf directly onto the hot stone.
• Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the skillet or broiler tray and quickly close the door.
• Bake for 35 minutes or until top of crust is dark brown and sounds hollow when thumped.
• Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
• Allow to cool before slicing.

FLUFFY PEASANT BREAD (VEGAN AND LOW FAT)

Steps:

• Place the ingredients into the bread machine in the order listed or in the order suggested by manufacturer.
• Select the basic cycle, and light crust.
• For a crispier crust, select the FRENCH cycle, or turn the machine off after the first rising cycle, and start the cycle from start again.

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add the yeast mixture and remaining water; stir until combined. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Stir dough down. Divide in half. Place each half in a greased 1-qt. round casserole or ovenproof bowl. Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove from pans; serve warm if desired.