In the last few months, I’ve been working with a new style of baking where the dough is more moist and goes through a longer rise. I’ve made baguettes this way and also one of my favorite breads, what I call “Pain de Campagne” because it ressembles a bread that I grew up with in Genval, Belgium .

Someone recently asked me for the recipe so here is my version of this slow-rising dough. It just uses four ingredients: flour, water, yeast and salt.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. stone ground whole wheat flour
5 c. unbleached all purpose white flour

3 1/3 c. barely warm water

1 1/4 T. sea salt

1 t. yeast

Mix the flours in a large stoneware bread bowl. Stir in the water until it is totally mixed in. Let sit for 30 minutes, covered with a damp towel.

At the end of the 30 minutes, sprinkle the yeast and salt over the top. With your hands, gently fold them into the dough. It might take ten to twelve gentle folds to incorporate them well. Use flour on your hands if you need to but it will be somewhat sticky. Cover with the damp towel and let sit for 30 minutes.

As you can see, it is a moist dough. At the end of these 30 minutes. Gently fold the dough into itself several times. Then cover and let rest for another 30 minutes. Gently fold the dough onto itself several times. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Gently fold the dough onto itself several more times, shaping it into a nice smooth ball. You will have done this 3 times total. Use flour sparingly as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands too much. After the last time, place a damp towel over the dough and let rise for 3 1/2 hours.

Then turn out onto a lightly floured counter. Gently shape the dough into a ball. Cut into two pieces. Shape each piece into a round loaf. Then place with the bottom side up into a floured banneton or a flour sprinkled towel-lined basket. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise 45 minutes.

Take two round cast iron enamel pots with lids. (I use my Le Creuset). Place them in the oven and preheat oven to 450°.

When the loaves and the oven are ready, very carefully take the pots out of the oven, remove the lids and grease them. Then sprinkle flour In them. Gently release the loaves from their baskets, right side up into the pans. Quickly, score them with a sharp blade, spray a thin mist of water over them and replace the lids. Carefully, put the two pots in the oven. Remember, they are burning hot!!

Bake for 20-25 minutes then remove the lids and then rotate the pots in the oven. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. Turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack. And thump the bottom to make sure they sound hollow. They should be done.

Enjoy the smell, crust and crumb of this very simple yet delicious bread!