This rustic bread recipe is one you’ll make again and again. It’s wonderful for sandwiches or just dipping by the chunk into…
I’m of the opinion that there is hardly anything better than homemade rustic bread. It’s a bold statement, but I’m sticking to it. For me, a hot loaf of homemade bread is the very definition of home and comfort and love.
Just the thought of pulling a loaf of crusty, warm bread out of the oven conjures up images of my grandmother in her faded apron, kneading dough at the kitchen counter with wrinkled, experienced hands. Though I can’t claim to be nearly the expert on bread that my grandmother is, I do know that adding a loaf of homemade bread, even just a simple loaf of peasant Bread, to any menu is sure to be a welcomed addition.
This rustic bread recipe differs from other homemade breads in that it is much simpler to make. While most homemade bread recipes require hours of rise time and skilled attention to kneading and shaping loaves, this simple peasant bread can be on the table in just 3 hours.
It is most often cooked as a round, free form loaf, which eliminates the need for bread pans and fancy shaping techniques. It’s not artisan bread, but it is golden with a crispy crust and moist center that are the hallmarks of great bread.
This rustic bread recipe is a basic recipe to get you started. The nice thing about this type of bread is you can experiment with flour and grain combinations in your own kitchen. You can certainly make this with all purpose flour, but I recommend adding in a least one whole grain flour. I normally use spelt flour because it makes for a lighter texture than whole wheat flour, but even rye flour works well in this recipe.
This is one recipe that always guarantees satisfied smiles and compliments to the chef.
Need some soup recipes for dipping? We recommend Shaina’s tomato soup with rice and spinach or Katie’s lemon chicken orzo soup.
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Rustic Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour unbleached
- 2 cups Water
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 2 tablespoons Butter melted
- 1 tablespoon Cornmeal
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the water and honey. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir to combine, using your hands to combine if necessary. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and set in a warm place to rise for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 hours if time allows.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Sprinkle the cornmeal on a lightly greased baking sheet or stone. Punch down the dough and separate it into two equal balls.
- With lightly floured hands, shape the dough into balls and roll the bottom of each ball lightly in the corn meal. Let the dough rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Brush the top of each dough ball with the melted butter and bake for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.