Multigrain Bread

Step 1

Soaking the add-ins (1 hour) In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup quinoa, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, and 1/4 cup water. Let sit for 1 hour.

Step 2

Mixing the dough and letting it rise (2 hours) In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) combine 3 cups lukewarm water with 1 tablespoon active yeast.

Step 3

With a standard mixer paddle (or a large spoon), mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, 4 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup rye flour, 1 cup wheat flour, and the soaked oats and seeds. Mix only enough to combine; do not knead or overwork the dough. If necessary, use your hands to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.

Step 4

Cover with a towel and allow to the dough to rise and collapse at room temperature. This should take about 2 hours.

Step 5

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. It can be used anytime in the next 2 weeks, but we usually bake two loaves the day after mixing and freeze one loaf.

Step 6

Bake the bread (1 1/2 hours) When ready to bake, on a floured surface divide the dough into two balls. Adding a bit of flour as necessary to work with the dough, shape each ball into a loaf by stretching the edges of the dough down and under the loaf.

Step 7

Sprinkle a pizza peel or baking sheet with cornmeal and place the loaves on the cornmeal. Allow the loaves to rest for 40 minutes.

Step 8

Preheat the oven to 450ºF with a pizza stone on the center rack. In addition, place an old sheet pan on the bottom rack to use for steaming (which creates a nice brown crust on the bread). We use a load our sheet pan with lava rock to assist in the steaming and hold the heat of the oven.

Step 9

After the rest, sprinkle each loaf with flour and use a serrated knife to cut several 1/2″ deep slashes along the top of the loaves.

Step 10

Slide the loaves onto the pizza stone as far apart as possible (so they don’t touch as they rise). Wearing an oven mitt, pour 1 cup of hot water onto the sheet pan and quickly close the oven door to fill the oven with steam.

Step 11

Bake for 35 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. After cooling, the loaves can be frozen in an airtight bag.