Here is a review of the recipe from Grillou, a restaurant and inn in the
Pyrénées
“This really is a bread that needs no kneading, and starts with
a dough that is so wet it couldn't be kneaded even if you tried. And it works,
producing a glorious, moist, nutty and chewy loaf of the kind I've grieved for
for years: this is the bread that I loved so much way back in the heady days of
wholefood cafés and thick lentil soups and have been (unsuccessfully) trying to
make ever since! It cuts beautifully with no crumbles, keeps happily for a
couple of days then makes great toast, and is so satisfying that one slice,
eaten slowly, is enough”
Makes 2 loaves of bread
Ingredients
Butter for
greasing loaf pans
2T black molasses
3.5t dry yeast
2T black molasses
3.5t dry yeast
3 – 3.5 cups warm water
8 cups wholemeal flour (I used 6 cups of whole wheat and 2 cups of rye)
2 teaspoons salt
8 cups wholemeal flour (I used 6 cups of whole wheat and 2 cups of rye)
2 teaspoons salt
2T sesame seeds
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, combine the
molasses and yeast.
Add water and gently whisk to break up any lumps.
Allow about 10 minutes for the yeast to activate.
Add water and gently whisk to break up any lumps.
Allow about 10 minutes for the yeast to activate.
Grease two 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pans
with the butter.
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt
and make a well in the center of the mixture.
Add yeast mixture and 2 cups of water and mix gently until thoroughly combined.
Add yeast mixture and 2 cups of water and mix gently until thoroughly combined.
It should be a wettish dough, but not
so wet that it doesn’t come together.
Divide batter evenly between the two loaf pans.
Let rise in a warm place, loosely
covered with a couple of cloths for about 30 minutes, or until the dough comes
to the top of the pans (be careful not to let the loaves overproof).
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Sprinkle the loaves with sesame seeds
Sprinkle the loaves with sesame seeds
Bake loaves at 450 degrees for a total
of 45-50 minutes.
FIRST, bake in pans for 30 minutes.
THEN, take the loaves out of their pans and put them on a shelf in
the oven to finish cooking, for another 15-30 minutes.
When done, the outside of the loaves
should by firm, and they should sound hollow when you tap the bottom.
