Rustic Country Bread

Total Time: 24 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm whole milk (105â° to 115â°)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup semolina flour or 1/4 cup cornmeal, plus additional for dusting
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 1/2-4 cups bread flour
• 1 cup warm water (105â° to 115â°)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast, milk, sugar, 1/4 cup semolina flour, whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup bread flour.
• 2 whisk until creamy and smooth.
• 3 cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 12 to 24 hours.
• 4 place dough in a large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with a paddle.
• 5 add remaining yeast, water, salt, butter and 1 cup bread flour.
• 6 beat at medium speed 3 minutes, or until smooth.
• 7 add remaining flour at low speed, 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough is formed.
• 8 dough will just clear sides of bowl.
• 9 (process can also be done by hand in a large bowl.) switch to a dough hook and continue mixing about 3 to 4 minutes, adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
• 10 (if kneading by hand, turn dough out a lightly floured work surface and knead 5 to 7 minutes, adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary.) dough should barely hold its shape.
• 11 place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat.
• 12 cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until tripled, about 2 hours.
• 13 gently deflate dough, turn out a lightly floured work surface and form into a round ball or oblong loaf.
• 14 roll lightly in flour and place on a baking sheet sprinkled with semolina flour.
• 15 (or, place dough in a greased 12" x 5" x 3 1/2" loaf pan.) cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy, about 45 minutes.
• 16 preheat oven to 475° for at least 30 minutes.
• 17 make a slit in top of loaf with a serrated knife.
• 18 bake at 475° for 10 minutes, 400° for 15 minutes, and 325° for 20 to 30 minutes.
• 19 loaf is done when slightly domed and browned.
• 20 cool on a rack.
• 21 makes 1 large loaf.
• 22 note: dough can also be shaped into flatbread, breadsticks or rolls.