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Cooking
Pain à l'Ancienne – Rustic Bread
· 4 servings
Tip: prepare the night before
The dough needs a long rise in the fridge. This allows the complex sugars in the flour to break down into simple sugars. It's this slow fermentation that gives the bread its distinctive flavor and caramelizes the crust.
Mix the dough
Pour the flour into a bowl, add cold water, and mix thoroughly for about a minute. If you're feeling lazy, use a good stand mixer; if you fancy a workout, dive in by hand.
Knead
Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then get back to kneading, and with some real energy this time. I'll admit I was the lazy one who used the dough hook on my stand mixer. I let it run for about 5 minutes.
Brush with oil and wrap
Brush the surface of the dough with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge, where it'll sit undisturbed for around 10 hours.
Knead again
The next morning, take the bowl out, add the yeast and salt, and it's time to knead once more. Again, I let the mixer do the work for 5 minutes.
Rise for several hours
Now comes the second rise, this time at room temperature. It can take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is. It's ready when the dough has doubled in volume and bubbles appear on top.
Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 225°C and place a container with about 1.5 liters of boiling water inside. Dust your work surface generously with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Don't be alarmed by how loose and slack it is - that's exactly how it should be.
Fold and shape the dough
Dust the top of the dough with flour as well and fold it over several times. Cut it into 4 pieces and, with a bit of effort, shape them into baguettes. Don't expect flawless, perfectly smooth beauties - this is rustic country bread, after all!
Bake
Transfer the loaves onto a baking sheet dusted with coarse flour or lined with parchment paper. Let them rest for another 10 minutes, then pop them into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, depending on how dark you like the crust. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.