I posted this receipt to a Brit forum but it's good enough to be posted
here (only the best for Reggie!).
I've been experimenting with small (ca. 5%) rye in all sorts of bread that
are normally made with wheat flour alone and the results have been at least
good, mostly excellent and, in this case, to fall seriously ill for.
Lean, rustic dough. Indirect method. Yield 4 medium loaves. 2 days to make.
POOLISH
50 gm rye flour
450 gm high-protein white flour
850 gm water
1/2 tsp instant yeast
DOUGH
The Poolish
100 gm wholewheat "bread" flour
400 gm high-protein white flour
20 gm salt
1 tsp instant yeast
METHOD
Mix the Poolish ingredients to a smooth batter and leave AT ROOM
TEMPERATURE overnight. The resultant goo will smell strongly of sour rye
and yeast by-products.
Add the dough's dry ingedients to the Poolish and mix roughly until just
hydrated. Leave for 20 minutes. Mix with a wet spoon or hand (Thanks to my
American lady baking correspondent for pointing out that a cupped hand is
more effective than a spoon in doughs like this.) for 2 minutes or so,
until fairly smooth.
Flour your counter, generously, and scrape the very wet dough onto the
flour, dust all over with more flour and use a scraper to help you roll the
dough in the flour until it's coated all over. Leave for 10 minutes,
sprinkle more flour around the dough and use your scraper under the dough
to release it. With floured hands perform a stretch and fold. Leaving to
relax as necessary, repeat the stretch and fold 3 more times, then leave to
rise for about an hour - 1.5 - 2 times growth.
Degassing as little as possible, cut the dough into 4 rectangles and shape
them gently into oval loaves, tucking the sides under to produce tension on
the, upper surface of the loaves. Proof to at least 1.5 times increase with
whatever arrangement you favour for proofing and moving very fragile
loaves. (Magic Carpet circles and a SuperPeel in my case)
Bake at max, on stones, steam optional, can't say it made a difference in
my bakes, for 1/2 hour, or 40 minutes if you like dark tasty crusts - I do.
Cool on racks for at least 1 hour before eating.
NOTES
The dough is a bit of a bugger to handle but the elastic crumb produced, in
part, by the high hydration is magnificent.
Although this is a Ciabatta variant, it is a lean dough so will not keep as
long as a typical Ciabatta made with oil and milk.