BERLIN AND CZECH REPUBLIC Sabbatical Project ©David B. Fankhauser, Ph.D., Professor of Biology and Chemistry University of Cincinnati Clermont College, Batavia OH 45103
The secret of crusty bread is high humidity. Here we bake it in a covered dutch oven.	This page has been accessed  times since 9 February 2007.	The finished bread is crusty,chewy and yummy...

	Freie Universität Berlin
	Dissection classes
	A tour of Berlin and its wonderful architecture.
	The abbey where Mendel famously cross bred peas
	Brno, Czeck Republic
Prague:  Fabulous historic city

 Anyone who has lived in or traveled to France or Italy has experience the wonderful bread which is their staple.  Its is crusty and crunchy on the surface, and the interior has large holes, is translucent and yellowish, and is chewy so that you know you are eating food!  During a sabbatical in a rural neighborhood near Naples, Italy (on Via Romano), this bread was not only the staple in the local bakery, but also baked by our friend Louisa in the out door wood fired brick oven of the extended family which which we lived.  This is our personal experience with "Peasant Bread:" Pane Rustica.  For us, the name, deceptively modest,  elevates the bread to a level worthy of wonder and respect, for making it is the practical art evolved from many centuries by people who have lived close to the earth, and developed extrordinary culinary skills.

EQUIPMENT	SUPPLIES
1 gallon pot or mixing bowl with cover measuring cups (one pint  and one quart) measuring spoons (1/4  and 1 teaspoons) whisk dish towel, non-terry cloth heavy 1-2 gallon covered cast iron pot (Dutch oven) cooling rack	3 cups white enriched flour 1 1/2 cups fresh water, warmed to 75 F 1 tsp Kosher or sea salt 1/4 teaspoon active yeast additional flour for dusting dough and cloth

	1)  Assemble the ingredients: 3 cups flour 1 1/2 cups water, 75 F. 1/4 tsp yeast suspended in 3 Tbl of the above water			11)  After about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, set oven to 450.
	2)  a)  Mix the suspended yeast with the rest of the water b)  Whisk in the flour			12)  Place a heavy pot (here, a Dutch oven) and its lid in the oven to pre heat.
	3)  The resulting dough is quite moist and sticky			13)  After 1 1/2 - 2 hours, the dough should have doubled in size, and not rebounded when you  press the surface with a finger.
	4)  Cover the raw dough, and let sit at room temperature (at least 70 F) for 12-18 hours			14)  a)  Remove the HOT pot from the oven (CAREFUL). b)  Slip your hand under the cloth and lift the dough. c)  Flip the dough into the HOT pot.  If it is uneven, shake pot to even out.  Don't worry
	5)  The next nbsp; Fold the cloth over the dough to cover.			15)  Cover with the HOT lid.
	6)  Turn the dough out on a floured surface.			16)  Place covered pot in the 450 oven. b)  Set timer for 30 minutes
	7)  Sprinkle a little flour on the surface.			17)  After 30 minutes, remove the top, and bake for 10-15 more minutes, until golden brown.
	8)  a)  With floured fingers, lightly fold the dough over on itself twice. b) lightly dust the surface with flour.			18)  Remove the bread from the oven, place on a cooling rack to cool, and exhale a little more moisture.
	9)  Generously dust a non-terry dishcloth with flour, lie the dough, seam side down, on the cloth			19)  This bread looks and tastes very similar to the Italian "peasant" bread I have been trying to replicate for a decade or more: a)  Wonderfully crusty (because of the baking in the covered pot, which maintains high moisture in the baking environment.  (Yes--for me, it is counter intuitive:  higher moister makes for crustier bread.  I hear that some French bakers throw water into the oven to achieve high moisture) b)  Large bubbles in the bread, and the texture is chewy and yellowish-translucent.  YUM
	10)  Fold the cloth over the dough to cover.