Pain Polka

Photo: flickr user me and the sysop

Ingredients

STARTER

cup lukewarm water

1 cup ap unbleached flour

ounce fresh yeast DOUGH

above starter

ounce fresh yeast

cup lukewarm water

4 cups unbleached white bread flour

1 tablespoon salt

Preparation

Mix starter yeast with water and gradually stir in sufficient flour to form batter. Beat vigorously, then gradually add remaining flour and mix to soft ball.

Knead 5-6 minutes. Place in bowl and cover with oiled saran. Let sit at room temperature for 4-5 hours or until well risen and starting to collapsle.

In bowl mix yeast for dough with half the water and then stir in remainder of water. Add previously made starter and knead to dissolve dough. Gradually add flour and salt and mix. Turn out only lightly floured surface, punch down and shape into round ball. Flatten slightly and place on prepared baking sheet (I prepared baking sheet with cornmeal).

Cover lightly with oiled saran and let rise for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size. Dust top of loaf with flour and using a sharp knife, cut top fairly deeply (about 3/4 - 1 inch in a cris- cross patttern. I made about 6 slashes across and then six more at right angles. Let loaf rest for 10 minutes. Preheat oven 450. Bake for 25-30 minutes (I had to do it for almost 40 minutesor until loaf is browned. Spray inside of oven with water as soon as bread goes into oven and 3 times more duing first 10 minutes of baking. Cool on rack.

I used a baking stone and had an excellent crust.