Crusty bread from the Roman pot

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 800 g spelt flour
• 7 g dry yeast (1 pack)
• 500 g water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar

Instructions

Working time approx. 5 minutes; Rest time approx. 6 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 7 hours 5 minutes

can also be made in a brass pot

Mix the dry yeast and spelt flour in a large bowl. Separately, mix the water with the salt, sugar, oil, and vinegar. Now mix the water with the flour and stir well with a wooden spoon (use a spoon because the dough will be very sticky, or use a food processor for best results). Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature. After about 1-2 hours (depending on the room temperature), “punch” the dough (this means vigorously stirring it with a spoon – this will cause it to lose its bulk). Repeat this process a total of three times. Let it rise once more and turn it out of the bowl. Divide the dough in half with a dough scraper and quickly and easily form into two balls (the faster you do this, the better for the dough). Place on a floured baking sheet or plate, dust with flour again, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise again. Meanwhile, preheat the oven with the empty Römertopf (180°C top/bottom heat). About 15 minutes later, remove the hot, empty Römertopf from the oven and fill it with the dough (no fat is needed for normal baking, as the dough won’t stick). Place the lid on the Römertopf and return it to the hot oven for 45 minutes. Then remove the lid and return it to the oven for at least 15 minutes. Increase the temperature slightly to 190°C; this will create a nice crust. Once the desired color is reached (after about 15-20 minutes), remove the pot from the oven. Let it cool for about 30 minutes, then remove the bread from the pot and place it on a wire rack to cool.