Mallorcan farmer's bread

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 500 g whole wheat flour
• 20 g yeast, fresh
• 1 tsp sugar
• 200 ml water, lukewarm
• 75 g sourdough (natural sourdough)
• ½ tbsp butter
• 200 ml water, lukewarm
• ½ tbsp salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 50 minutes

Pa Païs

Sift 2/3 of the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the middle. If necessary, add about 1/2 tbsp of salt if you don’t want the original unsalted country bread. Taste the dough and test if it’s salty enough. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 200 ml of lukewarm water. Pour into the well in the flour and mix to form a pre-dough. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Add the natural sourdough to the dough. Dissolve the butter in 200 ml of lukewarm water and gradually add it, gradually adding the remaining flour. Knead the dough thoroughly and for a long time. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Knead thoroughly until you have a light and fluffy dough. Shape into a round loaf and place on a greased baking sheet. Dust the surface of the loaf with flour and let rise until it has doubled in size. Place the bread in an oven preheated to 225°C. Place an ovenproof dish filled with hot water at the bottom of the oven. Bake the bread thoroughly for about 50 minutes. Tap the bottom of the bread to test its doneness. If it sounds hollow, it’s done. If it sounds dull, bake it a little longer. Let it cool on a wire rack. Wrap any bread that isn’t being eaten immediately in a cloth and store it in a cool place. It will keep for several days but is also suitable for freezing. Tip: As pa amb oli, it is drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with coarse sea salt. Serve with cheese, air-dried ham, tomato slices, or tomato puree.