Pain Rustique

Photo: flickr user jytyl

Ingredients

15 grams fresh yeast

350 mls tepid water

500 grams strong white flour

125 grams wholewheat flour

1 tablespoon salt

ground rice for baking

aga equipment:

wire rack on floor of roasting oven

Preparation

Crumble the yeast into the warm liquid and leave for 3 to 4 minutes then stir until completely dissolved.

Mix together the flours and salt in a large bowl make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast liquid.

Mix to a firm manageable dough adding just a little extra water if necessary.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead thoroughly until the dough is really smooth and elastic in texture then return it to the mixing bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Leave the bowl by the side of the aga for about an hour until the dough has doubled in size.

Scrape the dough out of the bowl and reknead it but more lightly than the first time.

Replace it in the bowl cover and leave by tltc side of the aga for a further 30 minutes until it has risen again.

Lightly oil a baking sheet and scatter ground rice in a circle about 150 to 175mm in diameter in the centre.

Knock back the dough and shape it into a perfectly round loaf then place it on top of the ground rice.

Tightly fold a clean tea towel on the bias and wrap it firmly around the sides of the loaf to force it to rise upwards and keep its shape.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave by the side of the aga for a further 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

This is the third rising.

Holding the dough steady with the teatowel make three deep slashes across the top of the loaf then remove the towel.

Bake the loaf on the wire rack for 30 to 35 minutes until the base sounds hollow when tapped.

Cool on a wire rack.

A light french style loaf which takes a little longer to prepare than many breads as the dough actually has three risings. A clean tightly folded tea towel is wrapped around the loaf for the final rising to create a tight upright bread.

Makes 1 loaf