Title: French Country Bread - Pain De Campagne
Categories: Breads, French
Yield: 3 Loaves
STARTER:
1 c Warm water (105 to 115°F)
1 tb Honey
1 Envelope dry yeast
1 c Rye flour
1 c Bread flour; +1 tb
BREAD:
2 3/4 c Warm water (105 to 115°F)
1 Envelope dry yeast
6 c Bread flour
3/4 c Rye flour
1 1/2 tb Fine sea salt
STARTER: Mix water and honey in medium bowl. Add yeast; stir to
dissolve. Let stand until foamy, 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup rye flour
and 1/2 cup bread flour; stir to combine. Add remaining 1/2 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 1/4 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 remaining 2 1/2 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. Cover 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 completely), about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 450°F. 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 sounds
hollow when tapped on bottom, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack
and cool.
