Pain de Campagne (Country Bread)

Ingredients

1. Heat 800g water to 95°F.
2. Combine 900g bread flour, water, and 20g salt in a large bowl.
3. Use 40g sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator, best if fed once in the past week.
4. Mix by hand until the dough forms a shaggy mass and the flour is hydrated.
5. Cover the bowl
6. Rest for 15 min.

7. Soaking wet hand
8. Fold the dough by grabbing a section from one side, lifting it up, then pressing it down to the middle to seal.
9. Repeat this with the remaining three sides of the dough.
10. Cover and let it rest for 15 min.

11. Soaking wet hand
12. Fold the dough by grabbing a section from one side, lifting it up, then pressing it down to the middle to seal.
13. Repeat this with the remaining three sides of the dough.
14. Cover and let it rest for 15 min.

15. Soaking wet hand
16. Fold the dough by grabbing a section from one side, lifting it up, then pressing it down to the middle to seal.
17. Repeat this with the remaining three sides of the dough.
18. As you perform the folds you’ll notice that the dough smooths out, gaining strength and becoming elastic.

19. Cover the dough tightly after the final fold and leave it at room temperature (approximately 72°F) for about 12 hours.
20. Mark the height of the dough to gauge how much it rises.

21. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured or greased surface
22. Divide it into two roughly equal pieces.
23. Gently form the pieces into rounds, cover them, and let them rest seam-side down for 10 minutes.
24. Generously dust two lined brotforms or towel-lined large bowls with 100g flour.
25. Shape the loaves into tight rounds (boules)
26. Place them seam-side up into the prepared brotforms or bowls
27. Cover them with a plastic bag or shower cap.

28. If your dough doubled (or came close to doubling) during the 12-hour rise period, immediately place the boules into the refrigerator.
29. If your dough was a bit more sluggish, let the boules rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes to give them a head start on the second rise.
30. Let the boules rest in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, depending on your schedule (not theirs!).

31. Place Dutch ovens onto a rack set in the lowest third of the oven.
32. Preheat the oven (and Dutch ovens) to 500°F for 45 minutes.
33. Turn each loaf out onto a piece of parchment paper and slash them with a lame or sharp knife.
34. Remove the preheated Dutch ovens from the oven.
35. Transfer the loaves to the Dutch ovens.
36. Spray lightly with water or place a small ice cube in also.
37. Cover the Dutch ovens with their lids and place them in the oven.
38. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 450°F
39. Bake the covered loaves for 20 minutes.
40. Remove the lids from the Dutch ovens
41. Bake the loaves for 20 to 25 minutes uncovered, until they’re a deep golden brown.
42. Remove the loaves from the oven.
43. Carefully turn them out of the Dutch ovens onto racks to cool completely.
44. Let the bread cool completely before slicing, at least 1 hour, 2 is better, overnight is also fine.

45. Store leftover bread, loosely wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Note: If you'd like to only make one, simply halve all of the ingredients to make 1 loaf. No other adjustments are necessary.

by Maura Brickman · source^[2] · video^[3]

1. Heat 800g water to 95°F.
2. Combine 900g bread flour, water, and 20g salt in a large bowl.
3. Use 40g sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator, best if fed once in the past week.
4. Mix by hand until the dough forms a shaggy mass and the flour is hydrated.
5. Cover the bowl
6. Rest for 15 min.

7. Soaking wet hand
8. Fold the dough by grabbing a section from one side, lifting it up, then pressing it down to the middle to seal.
9. Repeat this with the remaining three sides of the dough.
10. Cover and let it rest for 15 min.

11. Soaking wet hand
12. Fold the dough by grabbing a section from one side, lifting it up, then pressing it down to the middle to seal.
13. Repeat this with the remaining three sides of the dough.
14. Cover and let it rest for 15 min.

15. Soaking wet hand
16. Fold the dough by grabbing a section from one side, lifting it up, then pressing it down to the middle to seal.
17. Repeat this with the remaining three sides of the dough.
18. As you perform the folds you’ll notice that the dough smooths out, gaining strength and becoming elastic.

19. Cover the dough tightly after the final fold and leave it at room temperature (approximately 72°F) for about 12 hours.
20. Mark the height of the dough to gauge how much it rises.

21. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured or greased surface
22. Divide it into two roughly equal pieces.
23. Gently form the pieces into rounds, cover them, and let them rest seam-side down for 10 minutes.
24. Generously dust two lined brotforms or towel-lined large bowls with 100g flour.
25. Shape the loaves into tight rounds (boules)
26. Place them seam-side up into the prepared brotforms or bowls
27. Cover them with a plastic bag or shower cap.

28. If your dough doubled (or came close to doubling) during the 12-hour rise period, immediately place the boules into the refrigerator.
29. If your dough was a bit more sluggish, let the boules rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes to give them a head start on the second rise.
30. Let the boules rest in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, depending on your schedule (not theirs!).

31. Place Dutch ovens onto a rack set in the lowest third of the oven.
32. Preheat the oven (and Dutch ovens) to 500°F for 45 minutes.
33. Turn each loaf out onto a piece of parchment paper and slash them with a lame or sharp knife.
34. Remove the preheated Dutch ovens from the oven.
35. Transfer the loaves to the Dutch ovens.
36. Spray lightly with water or place a small ice cube in also.
37. Cover the Dutch ovens with their lids and place them in the oven.
38. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 450°F
39. Bake the covered loaves for 20 minutes.
40. Remove the lids from the Dutch ovens
41. Bake the loaves for 20 to 25 minutes uncovered, until they’re a deep golden brown.
42. Remove the loaves from the oven.
43. Carefully turn them out of the Dutch ovens onto racks to cool completely.
44. Let the bread cool completely before slicing, at least 1 hour, 2 is better, overnight is also fine.

45. Store leftover bread, loosely wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Note: If you'd like to only make one, simply halve all of the ingredients to make 1 loaf. No other adjustments are necessary.