Pain rustique: the recipe

Name: Pain rustique
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 19 h 4 min
Yield: 2 pieces of 680 g
Ingredients: 397 g Wheat flour; 238 g Water; 7.1 g Salt; 2.0 g Yeast; 238 g Wheat flour; 79 g Rye flour; 79 g Wheat flour; 310 g Water; 7.1 g Salt; 1.0 g Yeast

A little yeast, a high proportion of prefermented flour in the dough and a slow rise give this rustic bread its authentic character. The addition of 20% whole wheat flour lends a rich, robust and unmistakable flavour.

The secrets to a perfect result:

1) Adjust the hydration: whole wheat flours absorb water unevenly. Check the dough as soon as the ingredients have come together and adjust the liquids if needed.

2) Bassinage: towards the end of mixing, add the remaining water gradually to develop the dough's structure as well as possible.

3) Shaping: give it the classic loaf shape (oval or round), or make small crusty rolls or large boules to share.

This recipe is freely inspired by, or adapted from, a formula by Master Jeffrey Hamelman.

At a glance

Method: Preferment, without autolyse
Preferment: Leftover dough — 50% of the flour
Mixing: Stand mixer

Number of pieces: 2
Weight per piece: 680 g
Preferment weight: 644 g
Dough weight: 715 g
Total dough weight: 1360 g

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Ingredients

Quantities for 2 pieces of 680 g, kitchen at 21 °C

Preferment

Wheat flour (0, W320)397 g
Water238 g
Salt7.1 g (a teaspoon)
Yeast2.0 g

Dough

Wheat flour (0, W320)238 g
Rye flour (Whole wheat, W80)79 g
Wheat flour (Whole wheat, W290)79 g
Water310 g
Salt7.1 g (a teaspoon)
Yeast1.0 g

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Method

Pasta di riporto: make it and let it ferment (at room temperature) (14 hours)
- Weigh the ingredients
- Make a mix with 1 ice cube and 218 g of water at room temperature (to get it to 18 °C)
- Dissolve the yeast in the water
- Mix until you get a smooth dough
- Seal it airtight (a lid, or plastic wrap pressed onto the surface)
Weigh the ingredients and knead (30 min)
- Use water at 22 °C
End of mixing, start of bulk rise (at room temperature) (2 h 30 min)
Reinforce the dough with a fold about every 50 minutes, in the first part of bulk fermentation: The times are in the Programma above.
Reinforcement fold 1 of 1
Divide/shape: weigh and form the pieces (5 min)
- Divide into 680 g (1.5 lb) pieces, preshape lightly into rounds and let rest covered with plastic for 10 to 20 minutes, until relaxed enough.
- Shape into round or oval loaves and place them into floured bannetons or between the folds of a floured linen couche, covered with plastic.
Start of proofing (at room temperature) (1 h 23 min)
About 1¼ to 1½ hours at 24 °C.
Ready to cook

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Baking

- conventional oven, with steam
- Overall temperature: 230 °C
- Time: 36 minutes
- Double steam (before loading and again right after). Once the loaves have taken on colour, open the vent to let the moisture out and finish the bake drier.

The calculator adapts baking times to the weight of your pieces. Open the calculator

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