Peasant Bread Recipes

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/4 cup water and yeast. Let stand until yeast is foamy, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup more water and sponge; mix on low speed using paddle, about 2 minutes. Add flours, salt, and remaining water; mix 1 minute more. Using dough hook, mix on medium-low speed, pulling dough from hook 2 or 3 times, until dough is soft and sticks to fingers when squeezed, about 8 minutes. Or knead by hand, 15 to 20 minutes.
• On a floured surface, knead dough into a ball by hand, 4 or 5 turns. Place smooth side up in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until tripled in bulk, about 3 hours.
• Turn dough onto floured surface. Flour top, and cut in half. Roll up one piece of dough lengthwise, flatten slightly, and roll lengthwise again. On an unfloured surface, cup your hands around the sides of the dough and move it in small, circular motions, until top of dough is rounded and bottom is smooth. Flour a piece of parchment, and place dough on it; cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap, then cover with a towel. Repeat process with second piece of dough. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 50 minutes. 30 minutes before this final rise is completed, place a baking stone or baking sheet in the oven and an empty baking pan on the lowest shelf; heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Sprinkle dough with flour, and dimple the surface with your fingertips; let rise 10 minutes more. Using a baker's peel or baking sheet, slide loaves and parchment onto the baking stone or baking sheet. Pour 2 cups very hot water into the heated baking pan to create steam. Bake until dark golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add the yeast mixture and remaining water; stir until combined. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Stir dough down. Divide in half. Place each half in a greased 1-qt. round casserole or ovenproof bowl. Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove from pans; serve warm if desired.

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Light or Medium Crust cycle; press Start. For a crispier crust, use the French cycle or turn machine off after first rise and start the cycle over.

NO-KNEAD PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the bread flour, whole-wheat flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees F) and mix with your hands or a spoon until the dough comes together (it will be wet and sticky). Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap. If you have extra time, refrigerate 12 to 24 hours; this is not necessary but will improve the flavor of the bread.
• Let the dough rise, covered, at room temperature for about 18 hours; this rise is necessary whether you refrigerate the dough first or not. The surface will be bubbly after rising.
• Generously dust a work surface with all-purpose flour. Turn the dough out onto the flour, then sprinkle flour on top. Fold the top and bottom of the dough into the center, then fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a dough scraper or a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a ball.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and generously dust with flour. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet, seam-side down, and sprinkle with more flour. Cover with a cotton kitchen towel (do not use terry cloth) and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.
• Position a rack in the bottom of the oven and place a 2- or 4-quart cast-iron or enameled Dutch oven (without the lid) on the rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F for at least 30 minutes. When the dough has doubled, carefully transfer the hot pot to a heatproof surface. Uncover the dough, lift up the parchment and quickly invert the dough into the pot (shake the pot to center the dough, if necessary). Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until brown and crusty, 15 to 30 more minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Place the yeast and cumin in a large bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup of the water until the yeast is dissolved. Stir in the remaining 1 1/3 cups water. Stir in 2 cups of the flour and the salt. Gradually stir in the remaining flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place the dough in a large, clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough, knead for 5 minutes and divide in half. Sprinkle a large baking sheet lightly with cornmeal. Shape the dough into 2 round balls, flatten them slightly and place on the baking sheet.
• Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake until the loaves are nicely browned and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes. Place on a rack to cool.

FRENCH PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast, sugar and salt in water.
• Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until blended. Do not knead -- it will be lumpy.
• Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hours
• Oil a cookie sheet with olive oil.
• Oil hands and remove dough from bowl and divide into 2 rounds and place on cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle dough with cornmeal(optional).
• Let rise 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees and brush dough with melted butter.
• Bake for 10 min then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 15 minutes.
• When finished baking, brush again with melted butter.

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl whisk the flours and the salt. Set aside.
• Grease a separate large bowl with butter or olive oil and set this aside. (This bowl will be used for the dough's initial rise).
• In a standing-mixer's bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast over the top. (If you'd like . at this point . to ensure the yeast is active . you could let the mix stand for 10-15 minutes . or until it's foamy and/or bubbling just a bit. I typically don't).
• Add the flours and salt.
• Mix (**Note: The original recipe outlines stirring with a wooden spoon, which works . but I like to use my mixer with the dough hook and let it go for 4 or 5 minutes on medium speed) Note: the dough will be on the wet side. Transfer the dough to the greased bowl from the preparation step.
• Cover bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour . or until it's about doubled in size.
• ** Typically, dough at our house takes 3 or 4 hours to double . point being . don't sweat the exact time.
• Grease 2 oven-safe bowls with about a Tbsp of butter each.
• Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
• Punch down your dough . and divide it into 2 equal parts. One by one . place each half on a floured counter-top. Quickly form a ball with each part & transfer them to your prepared bowls.
• At this point . the original recipe calls for letting the dough rise until it's doubled again in size . and this certainly works. I've taken to putting the dough into the fridge overnight for its second rise. There's something that happens to dough when it ferments for a long period of time in a cool environment.
• Pre-heat oven to 425.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 425. Reduce the heat to 375º and bake for 18-19 minutes longer. Remove from the oven . letting the loaves sit for 5-10 minutes before turning them over onto cooling racks.
• If the bowls have been greased well . the loaves should easily fall out out onto the cooling racks.
• You'll have to gauge it based on taste . I cook the loaves on the lower end of the time the original calls for because we like them pale & soft. If that's not for you . they can always be placed back into the oven (outside their bowls) and baked for about 5 minutes longer.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar.
• Add the yeast mixture and remaining 1 cup of warm water; stir until combined.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. (About 1 hour).
• Stir dough down.
• Divide in half.
• Place each half in a greased 1 quart round casserole or ovenproof bowl.
• Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with topping.
• Let rise in a warm place until doubled; about 45 minutes.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
• Remove from pans to cool.

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• 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.