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We were delighted to discover the following article in
our bread
recipe archives
and pleased to be able to share it with you. This
is the last in a series of six
excellent recipes inspired by the
boulangers of provincial France:
French Country Breads
by Jeffrey Alford,
Bon Appetit April 1992
Bon Appetit - One Year Subscription
"For a lover of
bread, looking for whole-grain loaves in the French countryside
is like
going on a pilgrimage. I recently made such as journey, exploring village
markets, driving down country lanes and climbing steep cobbled streets in
search
of traditional boulangeries. I found that the search was
almost as great a pleasure
as the breads themselves.
Traditional boulangers have a great deal of pride in the bread they
produce.
They know it's good. When I asked about a recipe, they were
always generous
with information - about the oven, the quality of the flour,
the baker's atten-
tion
and care. These, they all agreed, are the essential
ingredients.
Of course, it also helps if you have good recipes. And here are six
terrific ones
that I created from the knowledge I gained from my fellow
bakers across the Atlantic..."
Olive Bread
"There
are as many variations of this soft-textured loaf,
typical of Provence,
as there are bakers who sell it.
My favorite combines both green and black
olives."
2 1/2 cups warm (105 to 115 degrees F) water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups black and/or green brine-cured
olives (Niçoise,
Lyons or Kalamata),
pitted, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
3 cups (about) whole wheat flour
Additional olive oil
Place warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over and
stir to dissolve. Gradually add 3 cups unbleached flour. Stir 100 times.
Cover mixture with plastic. Let stand in warm draft-free area until foamy,
about 30 minutes.
Mix olives, 2 tablespoons oil and salt into yeast mixture. Stir in buckwheat
flour. Gradually mix in enough whole wheat flour to form soft dough.
Knead
dough on floured surface until smooth and elastic, adding more
whole wheat
flour if dough is sticky, about 8 minutes.
Oil a large bowl. Add dough and turn to coat. Cover with plastic. Let rise
in warm draft-free area until doubled and dough does not spring back when
2
fingers are pressed into side, 2 hours. Punch dough down. Grease large
cookie sheet. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface roll out 1
dough piece to 3/4-inch-thick oval. Beginning at one short side, roll up
jelly roll style. Continue rolling dough between floured surface and palms,
pressing gently while rolling, until a 12-inch-long loaf forms. Transfer to
prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with second dough piece. Cover with towel
and
let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about
40
minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until golden brown and loaves sound
hollow when
tapped on bottom, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack and cool
completely. Makes
2 loaves.
French Country Bread Series:
Hazelnut Bread
Olive Bread
Raisin and Millet Rolls
Rye and Walnut Rolls
Sunflower Seed Bread
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