Bread

This is whole wheat /whey pane rustica.  You can visit Mr Frankhauser's site for detailed directions with pictures and the recipe for this and many other delicious creations such as cheese and regular pane rustica

The basic recipe for Pane Rustica

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups water 75F
1 to 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp yeast suspended in 3 tbl of the above water

mix the yeast in water until it bubbles, about 10-15 mins
mix the salt in the remaining water

mix everything together in a largish bowl
cover loosely and put aside until morning It will look really gooey like batter not bread dough

In the morning sprinkle flour over the dough enough to get it to stop sticking to the bowl mixing some flour into the dough folding it a few times..let it sit for another couple hours.

Heat your oven with your covered dutch oven/cast iron pan to 450degrees

Dump your dough into the dutch over/cast iron pan and cover.

bake for 30 mins covered and an additional 15 mins uncovered

then you will need to let it cool for a few minutes before cutting into the best bread you will have ever made.

Bon Appetite



The secret is using a dutch oven with cover to cook the bread.  The crust is crunchy and thick and the center is soft and chewy. 

Mine is a little sweet because of the whey and has a more sour taste than just plan whole wheat.  I used 3 cups white 2 cups fresh ground soft white wheat and then substituted all of the water for whey because I had just made a big hunk of cheese. 

If you don't have a dutch oven you can get one here:
Cast Iron Dutch Oven - 12 Qt.


This  is the crumb of the bread.  My next experiment will be with just using water and white wheat.


Water and white flour makes an incredible loaf of bread.  I have been experimenting with souring the sponge to make a more sourdough type of bread.  Success has been accomplished visit the sourdough page for directions.

  It is amazing how wonderful your own sourdough bread can taste! I would seriously like to find bagette pans made of cast iron with lids.  Then I would never have to buy bread at the store again.