Baking Old-World Style Bread

It makes Claudia happy to have her food right next to her.

What you’ll need:

• A large mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Dish/tea towel
• Whisk
• Cast iron Dutch oven with heavy lid
• Cutting board
• Cooling Rack
• Shaker with cornmeal or flour for dusting
• Two plastic or metal bread scrapers (optional)

Ingredients:

• Nourishing, Loving Intention and respect for old-world simplicity
• Bread Flour
• Salt
• Sourdough Starter*
• Water
• Any additional herbs, spices, nuts, or dried fruits that you'd like to experiment with...we like turmeric, which makes a gorgeous yellow loaf

What to do:

1.In the evening about an hour after feeding your sourdough starter, whisk three cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, and any additional dry ingredients if you desire to experiment with various flavor

2.Dissolve ¼ cup of sourdough starter in a bit over 1 cup of tepid water (a little more water if using whole wheat; 1 1/2 cup of water if using 1 teaspoon of commercial yeast instead of sourdough starter) – pour into dry mix

3.Use spatula to mix and fold bread until it’s a round loaf with no visible dry flour. Once basically mixed, I use my hand to knead the dough into a more cohesive ball

4.Cover and leave on counter in an area that stays between 70 and 85 degrees for about 12 hours 

5.The next morning, use the spatula or your hand to scrape the dough onto a dusted cutting board to knead, form into a bun and let rise for 1 hour, meanwhile preheat the oven with the Dutch oven inside to 475 degrees.

6.Pull out the Dutch oven, and dust the bottom with cornmeal or flour

7.Transfer the dough to the Dutch oven and use the tip of a knife to slice the top surface

8.Dust the top of the loaf with anything you like (flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, olive oil, spices, etc.)

9.Put cover back on the Dutch oven and put back in the 475 degree oven for 30 minutes.

10.Remove Dutch oven and Use wooden spoon to lift the loaf from the Dutch oven to the cooling rack

11.Let loaf breathe for one hour.

12.Slice and enjoy!

The baked loaf is deliciously soft and chewy the first day or two. Store in cloth for a crunchier crust and in plastic for a softer crust. By the second or third day, I like it best toasted in the iron skillet with oil. By the fourth day, I like to slice it and store it in a freezer bag for future. It's great straight from the freezer to the hot skillet with olive oil.

Do you worry about eating too much bread? Instead of worrying and restricting, ask yourself...a body question. Which of the following concerns you most often, and what does it mean: "How do I look?" OR  "How do I feel?" OR "How much do I weigh?"

Begin to direct your reflections to how you feel in your body rather than how you look or how much you weigh. If you are eating wholesome things that give you energy and satisfaction, and you feel alive and well when you eat them, let that be your guide knowing that looking good and a healthy weight is a natural by-product of listening to your own body's reactions to foods you eat.