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SOURDOUGH & POOLISH PREP: Mix the ingredients for the sourdough and poolish dough in separate bowls.
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Let the rest for 12-15 hours at room temperature.
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The poolish dough will get bubbly like the photo here...
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And the sourdough will get soft and kind of frothy like this photo.
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WHEAT BERRIES: Prepare the cooked wheat berries: bring 100 g to a boil in 150 g (= 150 ml) water.
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Cover with lid, turn to lower heat and let cook for 10 minutes.
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Remove lid and cook until any residual water is gone.
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Let cool completely (I like to do this step ahead of time so I don't need to worry about when I'm ready to knead and bake).
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MIX AND KNEAD: When the sourdough and poolish are ready, mix them together with all the other dry ingredients (except flax seeds).
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Add enough water or beer to form a kneadable dough (you don't want it super sticky).
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Knead for 15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
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Dust hands or kneading surface with additional flour if the dough is sticking too much.
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After 15 minutes, fold in the flaxseed if using and knead for 1 minute.
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14
FIRST RISE: Form into a ball and place in a bowl to rise for 1 hour at room temperature.
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15
Cover it with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.
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After 1 hour, re-fold into a ball and let rise another 20-30 minutes.
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FINAL RISE: Remove from bowl and re-fold into a ball or oblong loaf (whatever shape you want the final bread to be.)
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Dust with rye flour and let rise in a floured banneton or basket lined with a bakers linen (fold/crease facing up) for 45-60 minutes.
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If you don't have the banneton or basket, let it rise (fold/crease facing down) on the a parchment paper lined baking sheet cover with a tea towel.
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20
OVEN & STEAM PREP: During the final rise, preheat the oven to 250C/480F.
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Place a shallow oven-safe pan at the bottom of the oven while preheating - you'll use this to create steam later!
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(You can skip the steam if necessary, but this is what gives the bread crust a nice color and makes it crisp).
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Prepare some boiling water for the steam tray shortly before the bread is ready to bake.
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BAKE: Put into oven on middle rack and pour some boiling water into the steam tray (be careful because it will steam a lot!
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).
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When the dough has finished it's final rise, place on the baking sheet with the crease facing bottom (unless you already did this).
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Cut slits into the dough in whatever pattern you like.
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Bake for 10 minutes at 250C/480F, then remove the steam pan.
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Lower the heat to 220C/430F and bake for another 30 minutes.
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30
Remove from oven and let cool uncovered on a wire rack.
