Ingredients
Scale
- 3 c. whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; the dough should be quite wet, almost like a batter (add more water if it seems dry). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 12 hours (or up to 24). The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Rising time will be shorter at warmer temperatures, a bit longer if your kitchen is chilly.
- Use some of the oil to grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf plan. Scoop the dough into the loaf pan and use a rubber spatula to gently settle it in evenly. Brush or drizzle the top with the remaining oil. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, an hour or two depending on the warmth of your kitchen. (It wont reach the top of the pan, or will just barely.) When it’s almost ready, heat the oven to 350°.
- Bake the bread until deeply brown and hollow sounding when tapped, about 45 minutes. (An instant read thermometer should register 200° when inserted into the center of the loaf.) Immediately turn out the loaf from the pan onto a cooling rack and let it cool before slicing.
Notes
• To speed up the process, increase the yeast to 1 1/2 teaspoons and reduce the first rise to 2 hours and the second rise to 1 hour.
• I always proof (test) yeast before adding it into the flour. To do so, add yeast to 1/2 cup of warm water with a dash of sugar and let sit for 5 minutes. (Sugar helps the yeast to grow.) Once the yeast becomes foamy, add to the flour along with the rest of the water. This lets me know my yeast is alive before wasting flour (which I have done too many times).
• I added a tablespoon of honey to cut the bitterness of the wheat. I recommend adding 2 tablespoons in hindsight.
