Peasant Bread
"Crusty outside and moist inside. A great bread for beginners!! So good with soups and stews or as a conatiner for spinach dip!! Allow 2 to 10 hours to make and ferment the starter."
photo by Allison Williams
- Ready In:
- 7hrs 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 8
- Yields:
-
2 10inch round loaves
ingredients
directions
- Starter: The water should be at room temperature.
- Combine the water and yeast in a small bowl.
- Let stand I minute, then stir until yeast is dissolved.
- Add the flour.
- Stir vigorously for about 100 strokes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl then cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap.
- Place in a warm (75 F) place until mixture is bubbly (2 –10 hours).
- Place the starter into a large (6-quart+) bowl.
- Dough: Add the water and yeast to starter.
- Add 1 cup, of flour and stir until it is well combined.
- Add the salt and only enough of the remaining flour to make a thick dough that is difficult to stir.
- Turn the sticky dough out on a floured work surface.
- Dip your hands in flour then knead the dough by pushing it down and forward with the heel of one hand, then pulling back from the top and folding the dough over with the other.
- Gradually add the remaining flour as you knead for 15 minutes.
- Dough will be strong and slightly sticky and will spring back when poked.
- Shape dough into a ball.
- Return dough to the bowl that has been coated with olive oil.
- Brush top of dough with a bit of olive oil,.
- Cover with a clean damp towel and place in a warm place until doubled in volume.
- Deflate the dough, place on lightly floured work surface.
- Knead briefly.
- Cut dough into 2 equal pieces.
- Knead briefly.
- Shape each piece into a tight ball.
- Place on a greased baking sheet.
- Cover with a clean damp towel and put in a warm place until doubled in volume.
- Preheat oven to 450 F and place oven racks to center of oven.
- Place a pan of water under the rack where the loaves will bake.
- Using a sharp knife score the loaves with cuts 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep along the surface.
- Place loaves in the hot oven.
- Bake for about 20 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 400 degrees F and bake another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1/2 hour.
- Brush tops with a bit more olive oil if you wish.
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Reviews
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These were terrific loaves deserving of more than 5 stars. I didn't use the starter in the recipe as I had my own proofed wild yeast starter. I used 2 cups of water for the dough and also omitted the 1/2 tsp. yeast (and used 1 c. of my own proofed starter). My proportions required about 7 cups of flour, but the loaves came out crusty, perfectly fluffy internally, and delicious. This is a keeper recipe. I will be tweaking my starter/water combination to lessen the quantity of flour next time. I am really thrilled to have found this recipe and appreciate you providing it. DEFINITELY worth trying. Thanks so much!!! -
This turned out beautifully. Crispy and golden on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. As a beginner, this was easy to follow, cause the instructions were so clear and detailed. It took only 2 hours to bubble. All 4 of us nearly finished both loaves! This was fun to make too. Thank you! -
I've always been scared to make starter breads, but this was so simple and the starter only took 2.5 hours to bubble. The bread turned out wonderful, you've definitely helped me conquer my fears!!
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This bread is excellent. It has a wonderful, crisp crust. I was hesitant to make this recipe because I thought the starter would take too long to prepare. It was worth the wait (which only ended up being 2 hours). I will definitely make this bread again. Thanks for this delicious recipe Aroostook! -
WONDERFUL!!! This has the perfect texture for bread bowls, and as it gets cooler, I am sure I will make i often. I can already imagine making 6-8 smaller loaves for individual chili bowls. My starter was bubbling in under 2 hours, but I let it mature for 6-7 hours because I wasn't in a rush. I think that helped give it a great flavor -- a little hint of sourdough. Thanks for the great recipe.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Aroostook
United States
Zaar...Wow, what a place! I'm one of the old timers of Zaar. I can't count the number of wonderful dishes I cooked in the past few years since joining. Along the way I have had the pleasure of meeting several Zaar chefs. Talk about your fruits and nuts! lol. I have enjoyed meeting them all.
Family: What's to say...I have had the same sweet husband forever (Good thing....I'd hate to have to break a new one in...=) and live close to a couple of grown children. (Maybe you've met Smoke Alarm Jr. ..her brown rolls are sooo good!) Therefore, my family gets together often to enjoy each other's company and cooking. My greatest joy is six "little to tallerthanme" kids running around calling me Grammy. They wear me out! lol
For the past thirty years I have been a Special Education teacher for grades 9-12 and love it. Took some time off last year to recovery from surgery, chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer. (Loved the radiation....I keep imagining that we are absolutely napalming the nasty cancer cells tohellandback to keep the little suckers from returning. =) My prognosis is good and now "I'm back in the saddle again". lol. Being a north country "gurl", I am happiest outside...walking, fishing, sitting in front of an outdoor fire or being on water (although in February it's a bit stiff....=0) When indoors I like to read, garden, knit, quilt and paint. During cold Maine weather I like to warm my feet on a very large ( 100 pounds of long legs and huge feet), sweet and furry golden retriever named Kerry (aka KTBRD: Kerry the big red dawg..lol) . In the summer, the dawg and I round up the grandkids, hit the local dairy bar for a Mounds Sundae that is to die for!!!=0) . Then spend a lot of long and lazy summer days at camp . All in all...Boy, Life is good! =)
