Hay Day’s Peasant Bread

1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 package active dry yeast -- (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup cool water
5½-6 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons coarse (kosher) salt
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter -- melted

Combine the hot water, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir quickly to dissolve the yeast and sugar; let stand until the mixture is nice and bubbly on top, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the cool water. Combine with the yeast mixture.

In a large bowl, stir 5 cups of the flour with the salt. Over a period of 10-15 minutes, gradually stir the flour into the liquid, using a large wooden spoon or the paddle attachment on a heavy-duty mixer set on low speed. The mixture should form an elastic dough that just begins to ball up and pull away from the sides of the bowl in ribbons. Work in enough of the remaining flour with your hands to make a firm yet sticky dough that comes together in a ball. It should not be as firm as traditional bread dough and will be too sticky to knead in the traditional manner. Cover the bowl loosely with a clean kitchen towel and set it aside to rest at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size, 1-1/12 hours.

Butter two 5-6 cups loaf pans

Using buttered hands, turn the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Shape the halves and tuck them inside the prepared pans. Set the loaves aside, uncovered, in a warm, draft free place until they have doubled in size and risen about 1 inch above the sides of the pan, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush the tops of the loaves with the melted butter, arrange the pans on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and nicely browned on top, 30 minutes. (The loaves will not have risen further.) To test for doneness, tap the bottom of a loaf. If it sounds hollow, the bread is done. Turn them out of the pans to cool on a wire rack. Slice thickly and use for toast and sandwiches. The bread will keep well for 2-3 days stored in an airtight plastic bag or in plastic wrap.

Variations

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Peasant Bread

Substitute the following:
1 cup stone ground whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose. Add 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Decrease the salt to 1 teaspoon. Mix 2 cups raisins into the dough just before the first rising.

Herbed Peasant Bread

Before the first rising, stir 3 Tablespoons each of chopped fresh dill, parsley and scallions (green onions) into the dough. (Rinse and dry the herbs thoroughly before chopping.)

Yield:
"2 loaves"

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