Pain de Campagne

Method

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1. Mix the flours with 340 ml of the water until no dry flour remains. Cover and leave 40 minutes — this is the autolyse.

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2. Add the starter and work it in, then the salt with the remaining 20 ml water. Squeeze it through until fully incorporated.

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3. Over the next 150 minutes, give the dough four sets of stretch-and-folds at half-hour intervals, then leave it to rise until it has grown by about half.

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4. Tip it out, shape it into a tight round, and rest it 20 minutes on the bench.

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5. Shape again more tightly and put it seam-side up in a banneton dusted with rice flour. Refrigerate 720 minutes.

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6. Heat a covered casserole in the oven at 250°C / 480°F for 45 minutes. Tip the cold loaf in, score it deeply, and put the lid on.

   Mark done Start 45 min timer

7. Bake 20 minutes covered, then lower to 220°C, remove the lid and bake 25 minutes more until very dark. Cool completely on a rack before cutting.

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Chef’s Tips

• Lid on for the first twenty minutes. It is the steam that lets it rise.
• Bake it darker than feels right — pale crust means flat flavour.
• Cool completely. Cutting it warm ruins the crumb.

Pairing Suggestions

• Salted butter
• Any of the terrines
• Soup

Storage & Reheating

Cut-side down on a board for 3 days. It freezes sliced for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.