Stage 1

Ingredients

60g Dark rye starter

30g Wholemeal spelt flour

80g Dark rye flour

150g water

Method

Mix thoroughly, cover and leave in at room temperature for 12-hours, or until nicely active.

I usually prepare this stage in the evening and continue the next morning.

Stage 2

Ingredients

50g Wholemeal spelt flour

140g Dark rye flour

5g sea salt

150g water

Method

Add the stage 2 ingredients and mix well.

Lightly oil a loaf tin and heavily dust your work-top with rye flour.

With wet hands, transfer the dough to the work-top, roll the dough in the flour and roughly shape to fit the loaf tin.

Transfer dough to the loaf tin, smooth surface and sprinkle with rye flour.

Leave to rise again for about 5-hours, but this time uncovered, until nearly doubled in size and the surface of the dough has large cracks.

Bake at 220C for 50-minutes, with the bread removed from the tin for the final 15-minutes. I also have a metal pan pre-heating in the oven, to which I add some boiling water when the bread goes in.

Let the bread cool on a wire rack and leave for at least 24-hours before cutting.

Bon appétit