Touscan Bread

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water, very warm
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 1 1/4 cups water, warm
• 3 1/2-4 1/2 cups flour
• olive oil
• cornmeal

Recipe

• 1 to make starter - 1-3 days before baking bread, mix water and yeast but do not stir. let sit for 5-10 minutes. add flour and mix 5 minutes or so with your hand. cover with plastic and set aside in a warm place to proof until you are ready to make the bread.
• 2 to make bread - in a large bowl add yeast to 1/4 c warm water and let sit for 5-10 minutes. add remaining water. mix in starter until well dissolved. add flour, starting with 3 1/2 cups adding 1/2 c more at a time as needed. you want dough to be well held together and you should be able to knead it.
• 3 place on well floured board and knead it for 5-10 minutes, until round, smooth and elastic.
• 4 pour a bit of olive oil in a large bowl and place dough in bowl and coat it, kneading in a bit of the oil as you go. cover with a towel and set aside in a warm place to rise at least 2 hours.
• 5 place dough on a floured board and knead 5-10 minutes. shape into loaf of your choice. place on baking sheet covered with cornmeal. cover and let rise again, until smooth and doubled.
• 6 bake 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees or bake on a stone for 30-35 minutes at 450 degrees.