The wheaten loaf

Dissolve
the salt in 200g water.

In a large,
shallow bowl, sift the flour. Mix in the yeast with your fingers and make a
well in the flour.

Add a
little water and, using one hand, blend in a little flour from the sides
until it forms a paste.

Very
gradually keep adding water and gently blend in the flour, a little at a time –
this should take up to five minutes.

Add the
salted water and mix more firmly until the mixture becomes a thick shaggy mass
– another three to five minutes.

Scrape down
the sides of the bowl and shape the mixture into a rough ball.

Measure the
dough temperature; it should be between 23 and 24°C. To bring down the
temperature, refrigerate for a few minutes; to raise the temperature
place in the oven with the light on at the beginning of the rising
time.

Cover with
a clean tea towel and leave the dough to rise for 45 minutes.

Tip the
dough onto a lightly floured board. Pick up the far edge of the dough
and bring it towards you, folding it over the centre of the dough and pressing
it down. Then take the edge closest to you; fold it away from you and onto the
dough and press it down. Fold the left edge over to the right side and the
right edge over to the left side, pressing down after each fold. Keep folding
in this way until the dough cannot fold anymore and it feels springy.

Brush the
bowl with extra-virgin olive oil; return the dough to the bowl, cover and
refrigerate for eight to 18 hours.

Remove from
the fridge, tip onto a lightly floured board and divide the dough into
three pieces (around 570g each).

Fold each
piece again as in step nine.

Cover the
balls of dough and leave for 45 minutes to return to room temperature.

Brush the
loaf tins with olive oil.

Take a ball
of dough and pull and press it until it is a flat rectangular piece.

Roll the
dough away from you – as if you were rolling a Swiss roll.

Towards the
end, pull apart the corners before rolling to keep the loaf lengthened.

At the
end, seal the seam using the palm of your hand. 

Place it in
the pan, tucking under the ends and leave to rise for one hour and 15
minutes.

Place a
cast iron pan on the floor of the oven and the rack in the lower
third and preheat the oven to 250°C.

Just before
putting the loaves into the oven, use a sharp knife to cut a slit into the
top of the bread – this prevents the bread bursting at a weak point
somewhere else in the dough.

Working
quickly, slide the bread onto the oven rack and at the same time pour
120ml water into the cast iron pan.

Shut the
oven immediately and bake for 10 minutes.

Turn down
the heat to 200°C and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove the
bread from the oven and immediately tip out of the pans onto a cooling
rack to keep the crust crispy.

For shine,
brush the tops with water while hot.

Makes three
loaves.

Per
loaf: 5
141kJ, 0g fat, 2 600mg sodium, 245g carbs, 9g fibre, 0g sugars, 45g
protein

Reprinted with permission of Women’s Health July Issue.