Pain de campagne

Maura Brickman’s selected pain de campagne makes two round country loaves from bread flour, whole wheat flour and unfed sourdough starter. A small starter portion and a long fermentation shape this King Arthur Baking version.

The flours, water, salt and starter are mixed into a shaggy dough. Short rests alternate with three sets of folds, with wet hands lifting each side of the dough over the centre.

The covered dough ferments for twelve hours before it is turned onto a lightly floured surface and divided in two. Each portion rests briefly, then becomes a round loaf in a lined proofing basket dusted with whole wheat flour.

The shaped loaves move into the refrigerator for an overnight rest. They are turned onto parchment, scored and transferred to preheated Dutch ovens, baking first with the lids on and then uncovered until golden brown.

The loaves cool completely on a rack before slicing. The recipe’s round shaping and covered-then-uncovered bake give this version its boule form and golden crust, with whole wheat flour included in both the dough and the basket dusting.