This lovely, full-bodied bread is very pleasing in that it is light yet quite abundant in many whole grain flours. Cornmeal within the dough and on the crust makes for a texture that is one of my personal favorites. Pain de campagne (country bread) is traditionally made with a young starter, or poolish, and baked in a very hot oven. My pain de campagne is made with dry yeast—but because of its boule shape, the many whole grain flours, and the light weight of the bread, I thought country bread was a fitting title.
MAKES 2 MEDIUM LOAVES
2 tablespoons chia seeds
½ cup water
1 cup arrowroot
¾ cup millet flour
¾ cup teff flour
½ cup almond meal
½ cup potato starch
⅓ cup flax meal
¼ cup amaranth flour
¼ cup quinoa flour
¼ cup cornmeal, plus ½ cup additional for shaping loaves
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus additional for sprinkling
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 envelope (2¼ teaspoons) instant active dry yeast
1½ cups room temperature filtered water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1. Soak the chia seeds in the ½ cup water for at least 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a sheet pan or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the arrowroot, millet flour, teff flour, almond meal, potato starch, flax meal, amaranth flour, quinoa flour, ¼ cup cornmeal, salt, and xanthan gum.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), dissolve the yeast in the room temperature water. Add the olive oil and maple syrup. Just as the yeast begins to foam and feed on the maple syrup, about 3 minutes, add the combined dry ingredients and the chia seeds with their soaking liquid. Mix just until a soft dough forms. You can do this by hand with a strong arm and a sturdy spoon, or with your stand mixer and the paddle attachment pulsed on low speed.
4. With the ½ cup cornmeal dusting your work surface, turn out the dough and divide into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion of dough into a round, using ample cornmeal to aid in the forming; this gives the exterior of the bread a delicious coarse texture. Place the unbaked rounds on the prepared pan and score each with a semicircle shape. Sprinkle with a little extra sea salt before popping into the hot oven. Once the oven door is closed, decrease the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Decrease the temperature to 300 degrees F and bake for an additional 1 hour, until golden brown and crusty.