Italian Flour Artisan Multi-Grain Bread

Again a reminder. . .baking artisan bread is pretty time intensive. It would be good to read all the way through this process so you're not surprised by that. Tonight, to save time tomorrow when this will come together, rise and bake, I measured and whisked all the dry ingredients into the big bowl. If you find a recipe you want to make on repeat, you can actually do that regularly. Or just whisk a batch or more of all the dry ingredients together, transfer to a big ziplock bag and you've saved yourself some time with the initial prep on bread baking day.

I met with an allergist recently and in conversing, we discovered we're both huge 'foodies.' He bakes all his family's bread and told me he only uses Italian flour since discovering that even people who are gluten sensitive have no problem digesting bread made from European grown grains. No GMO's or other preservatives that we allow here in America. This was inspiring. I did a little digging then decided on Caputo Chef's 00 Flour. From wheat grown, harvested and ground in Caputo, Italy. I've since discovered they have many different types of flour including bread flour. I'll probably have to order some of that soon.

2-1/2c Caputo Chef's 00 Flour

1/4c organic buckwheat flour

1/4c organic corn flour

3T Bob's Red Mill ground flax seed

3T Everything Bagel Seasoning

1-1/2t Himalayan pink salt

1/2t Bob's Red Mill active dry yeast

1-1/2c warm water

2T raw unfiltered honey

Whisk the first group of ingredients together in a big bowl. In a measuring container, mix the warm (110°) water and honey then stir in the active dry yeast. Let it sit 5-10 minutes to get foamy. Add this to the dry bowl mixing with a silicone spatula until the dough is shaggy but the flour is all incorporated. Transfer this to a sheet of wax paper. 

Wash the bowl then drizzle it with a generous amount of good quality EVOO. Put the dough back in the bowl, flipping it a couple times to get the surface completely oiled. Cover and let it rest on the counter, away from drafts, for 8-10 hours. If your kitchen is cool, like mine, it might be good to put it in your oven with the oven light on for just a tiny bit of warmth.

Put a 4 or 6 quart Dutch oven into the oven, set the temperature at 450° and preheat for 30 minutes. Use a 4 quart for a higher loaf, a 6 quart for a flat wide loaf.

While that's happening. . .turn the dough out onto a floured surface, forming it into a ball with floured hands. Cover with plastic or a large inverted bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes. After this time elapses - working quickly - open the oven, and pull out the rack. Flour your hands again and put the dough ball into the hot Dutch oven. Cut a "slash" across the top, about 1/2" deep, with a very sharp serrated knife.

Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue baking another 10 minutes to brown up the top.

Cool completely before slicing.

This recipe creation might have just earned 'artisan bread favorite' status. .😊. .Lin