Pain-rusique - 650g Recipe

Activate yeast

Warm 1/4 cup of the water to about 100–110°F (warm to the touch, not hot). Stir in the active dry yeast and the optional sugar/honey. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast may be inactive—start again with fresh yeast.

Mix ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sea salt. Make a well in the center and add the foamed yeast mixture, the remaining water (about 1.5 cups), and the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough scraper until the ingredients come together into a shaggy, slightly sticky dough. The dough should be tacky but not overly wet; adjust with small additional flour or water (1 tbsp increments) if necessary.

Knead (or stretch-and-fold)

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, for a higher-hydration, rustic crumb, perform a series of 4 stretch-and-folds in the bowl at 20-minute intervals: reach under the dough, stretch one side up and fold over, rotate the bowl, and repeat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel between folds.

Bulk fermentation

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise at room temperature (70–75°F / 21–24°C) until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on room temperature. For more flavor, you can refrigerate the dough for 8–18 hours instead; bring back to room temperature before shaping.

Pre-shape and bench rest

Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently deflate and shape into a loose round by folding edges into the center. Let rest seam-side down for 15 minutes, covered with a towel.

Final shape (hand-shaped loaf)

After the bench rest, flatten the dough into a rectangle. Fold the top third down toward the center, then fold the bottom third up over that (letter fold). Rotate the dough and use your hands to roll it gently into a tight, elongated oval or bâtard shape to approximate a 650 g loaf. Pinch the seam to seal and tuck the ends under to create surface tension.

Final proof

Place the shaped loaf seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a floured proofing basket (banneton) seam-side up. Cover lightly with plastic or a damp towel and proof at room temperature for 45–75 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled. If using a cold retard, refrigerate for 2–12 hours; bring to room temperature before baking.

Preheat and prepare oven

Place a baking stone or an inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Put a metal pan on the bottom rack for steaming. Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) for at least 30 minutes so the stone and oven are thoroughly hot.

Score

Carefully invert the loaf onto a piece of parchment or directly onto a peel. Using a sharp lame or knife, make 2–3 diagonal slashes about 1/4–1/2 inch deep across the top to control expansion.

Steam and bake

Slide the loaf (on parchment) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Quickly pour 1/2 cup of hot water into the metal pan on the bottom rack to create steam and immediately close the oven door. Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 12 minutes with steam, then remove the pan of water and lower the temperature to 425°F (220°C). Continue baking for another 12–18 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches about 200–205°F (93–96°C). Total bake time ~25–30 minutes.

Cool

Remove the loaf from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely (at least 1 hour) before slicing to set the crumb. The loaf will weigh just under 650 g once baked and crusted.

Serve

Slice and serve fresh within two days. For traditional service, drizzle extra virgin olive oil into a small dish and sprinkle coarse sea salt; tear or slice the bread and soak up olive oil. Alternatively, pair with soup or use as a sandwich loaf.

Storage

Store at room temperature wrapped in a paper bag or lightly wrapped in a clean towel for up to 48 hours. For longer storage, slice and freeze in a sealed bag for up to 1 month; reheat slices in a toaster or oven to refresh crust.