The Jeffrey Hamelman’s rustic bread is a rustic loaf with an extraordinary aroma and fragrance thanks to its long fermentation. Perfect for accompanying any type of dish, sweet or savory. It has good shelf life, 3-4 days in a bread bag and still remains crunchy.
Check out the other bread recipes:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/8 cups water
- 1/4 tsp dry yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tbsps salt
- 1 tsp dry yeast
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Work surface
- 1 Baking tray
Steps
The night before, pour room temperature water into a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in it. Add all the flour and mix with a fork until you get a very soft, smooth mixture without lumps.
Cover with plastic wrap and leave at 64°F (18°C) for 12-18 hours.The next day, pour the poolish, water, and flour into the mixer bowl.
Run for 1 minute at the lowest speed.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20-30 minutes (autolyse).After this time, add the salt and yeast.
Start the machine and let it work until a dough forms.
The dough will still be soft to the touch.Cover again and let rise for 70 minutes at room temperature.
Every 25 minutes, perform a series of folds (video here).Dust a work surface and turn the dough out.
Divide in half and shape into loaves.
Dust the surface with a bit of flour.
Cover with a cloth and let rise again for 20-25 minutes.Flip the loaves onto a floured paddle or baking tray.
Make cuts with a blade.
Bake at 446°F (230°C) with initial steam in static mode.
Bake for about 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing.
Tips
It keeps for up to 7 days and remains crunchy for 3-4 days. I recommend wrapping it in a cotton or linen cloth.

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