ideal bread

I recently made a bread of my own invention which turned out to be the perfect bread for a stretch of seven days of work. It was a big enough loaf to last that long, and it was still not stale on the last day. It was hearty but not excessively so, and the seeds added visual and textural interest. I'd intended to add some pepitas as well, but was out.

Rachael really liked this bread thinly sliced with vegan liverwurst. Neither she nor I have ever had actual liverwurst, so we don't know how this compares to the real thing, but it's also a nice thing to have on hand for work treats. The recipe makes two little loaves, so one can be frozen for later.

Seedy Dark Bread

500g whole wheat flour
125g each whole spelt, dark rye flour
25g potato flour
220g 100% hydration whole wheat or spelt levain
60g each toasted flax, sunflower seeds
550ml water
15g salt

Mix together all of the ingredients except the salt till you get a shaggy mass, then let half an hour. Add the salt, then knead the dough more thoroughly. Every twenty minutes for an hour and twenty minutes, stretch and fold the dough into quarters. Let rise till doubled, or overnight if your kitchen's not too hot. Shape into a bâtard and let rise in a couche or banneton till just about doubled (I let mine over-rise, so it collapsed a little and didn't have mush oven-spring). Bake on a stone in an oven preheated to 450ºF, then turned down to 400, for 45 minutes. Squirt with water a few times in the first five minutes or so.