I got this recipe from the book A Handmade Life by William Coperthwaite (original source Doris Grant). The bread it produces is bland but has a great texture, and it’s very simple to make–the easiest hand-kneaded recipe I’ve ever seen.
Ingredients:
1lb whole wheat flour
13oz warm water (90-100 degrees F)
1/2oz yeast
1tsp honey
Method:
Mix yeast and honey in 1/2c of the warm water and let sit to froth for about 10 minutes. Pour yeast mixture into flour and add remaining water. Mix by hand until dough feels elastic and leaves the sides of the bowl clean. (Don’t be shy about adding extra flour to achieve this texture if necessary.) Put the dough in a metal baking pan, cover it with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until it is an inch from the rim of the pan. (I started pre-heating the oven immediately and let the bread rise on top of it–they were ready to go at about the same time.) Bake at 450 degrees for 35-40 minutes. (Our oven runs a little hot, so it only took 32 minutes–you know the bread is done when you rap on the bottom crust with your knuckles and it makes a hollow sound!) Cool on a rack for about an hour before slicing.
