Pain de Campagne

I'm trying out this "rustic bread" from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Maker's Apprentice, to compare it to the Peasant bread I did last. I want to really see and taste the difference long fermentation and less yeast makes. This is the first bread recipe I've tried from this book. I also used weight measurements  instead of volume.

Day 1

Pate Fermentee

5 oz unbleached all purpose flour
5 oz unbleached bread flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant yeast
6 to 7 oz water at room temperature

Stir together flours, salt and yeast in a large bowl and add 6 oz of water. Mix till its a coarse ball. Add a bit more water or flour as needed to end up with a somewhat sticky ball. Knead for 4 minutes by hand. Put dough into lightly oil sprayed bowl. Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until 1 1/2 times volume.

Degas lightly, cover and refrigerate over night.

Day 2

Pain de Campagne

16 oz Pate Fermentee
8 oz unbleached bread flour
1.5 oz whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
6 oz water, lukewarm ( 90 to 100 degrees)

Remove Pate Fermentee from refrigerator 1 hour prior to making the dough. Cut into about 10 to 12 small pieces and place in bowl of stand mixer. Add flours, salt yeast and water and mix with paddle attachment till makes a coarse ball. Switch to dough hook and knead for 6 minutes.

Place in oiled bowl and let rise till double in size. Degas and let rise again.

Divide dough into 2 pieces and shape gently. Place on parchment covered baking tray. Cover and let rise till 1/1/2 times size.

Preheat oven  to 450 and place baking dish to hold water on bottom rack. When ready pour boiling water into baking dish, transfer dough and mist oven Mist again after a couple of minutes. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

This bread, especially when I taste tested it against the Peasant bread was a revelation!! Crust was very crunchy and tasted carmellized. Crumb was  fairly open textured, with very complex flavours. Needed nothing except a bit of butter!!! Longer is definitely better taste wise.