European
Soft Peasant Bread
Peasant
bread is a wonderful lean bread from Europe made with a combination
of whole grain flours. This variation gives you a chance to explore
whole wheat flour, graham flour, and dark rye flour. In combination,
they make a great hearty bread.
This recipe calls
for baking the bread in nine-inch pie pans. The pans help hold the loaves
in shape resulting in taller loaves than if baked on flat sheets. This
is a whole grain recipe but by soaking some of the flour overnight,
the bran is softened and absorbs moisture resulting in a softer bread
than many peasant breads. The recipe makes two large loaves.
Baker’s
notes: This recipe calls for a soft crust. This bread
can properly be made as an artisan bread with a hard, chewy crust. To
do so, follow the baking directions for Easy Sourdough Bread.
This bread can also
be made in loaf pans for sandwich breads. Form the loaves and bake the
bread at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until done.
If you would like
to make similar loaves from a mix, you can do so with our Irish Potato
Wheat Bread mixes. The Irish Potato Wheat Bread has some white bread
flour to temper the whole wheat and give it more structure and is a
richer bread with an ample addition of buttermilk.
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat
flour
1 1/2 cup dark rye flour
2 1/3 cups water at room temperature
1 seven gram packet
of instant yeast
(or two teaspoons)
2 cups graham flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons melted and slightly cooled butter
2 cups more or less whole wheat flour
extra graham flour
for dusting
Directions
1. The night before,
mix the one cup of whole wheat flour, the rye flour, and the water together
until combined. Cover and let sit at room temperature until the next
day.
2. The next day,
move the flour and water mixture to the bowl of your stand-type mixer.
Add the yeast and combine using the dough hook. Add the graham flour,
salt, and sugar. Add the butter on top of the dry ingredients and then
begin mixing with your dough hook attachment. Add portions of the two
cups whole wheat flour until the dough forms a ball. Continue kneading
with the machine, adding more flour as needed to get the right consistency.
The dough should be soft when you poke it with your finger. The dough
ball should knead for about five minutes at medium speed or until the
wheat gluten is well-developed. Remove the dough to a greased bowl,
turn once, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled.
3. Grease two nine-inch
pie pans with shortening and sprinkle them with cornmeal, graham flour,
or semolina flour. Set aside. After the dough has risen, divide it in
two with a knife. Form a ball by pulling the dough around the center
and tucking the seams together on the bottom thus gently stretching
the surface of the dough. Pinch the seams together to keep them from
opening as the loaf expands. Place the seam side down on the prepared
pie pan and repeat with the second loaf. Cover lightly with greased
plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled. Because these are
whole grain loaves with rye flour, it may take longer for them to rise,
maybe two hours. Let them rise until they are soft and puffy. While
the bread is still rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. When the bread
has risen, lightly dust the tops of the loaves with graham flour. When
the bread has risen and just before placing the loaves in the oven,
take a very sharp knife or razor and score the tops by making several
quick slashes at a 45 degree angle and not more than 1/4-inch deep.
The slashes can be made in a cross or square pattern as shown. (Slashes
allow steam to escape without splitting the loaves.) Immediately place
the loaves on the center rack of the oven leaving as much room for the
air to circulate around the loaves as possible. Bake for 40 minutes
or until the bread is done and well browned. If you are using an insta-read
thermometer, the bread should register 195 to 200 degrees when done.
Remove the loaves from the pans to cool on wire racks. Let the bread
cool before slicing.
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