Ingredients

375ml Water (Lukewarm)

450g Malthouse Flour

100g Strong White Flour

50g Barley (or Light Rye would work too!) Flour

50g Oatmeal

2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Sugar

25g Butter (or 2tbsp Olive Oil)

1 1/2 Tablespoons Easy Bake Dried Yeast.

Method

Method wise, add to the bread machine in the order specified by the manufacturer. I start with the water, and the oil or butter - adding the flours on top. I add the salt and the sugar in opposite corners and making a well in the middle of the flour add in the yeast.

I run the machine on the dough setting, so it does the grunt work of the kneading and first prov, giving me control over the second prove and kneading the loaf.

When the machine has done it's thing, I turn the bread out onto a surface dusted with a mix of flour and oatmeal, and knock it back (punch down) then to shape I divide the dough into a 2/3 piece and a 1/2 piece, rolling these into a ball.

I pop the small ball ontop of the bigger one, and push down through the middle with my fingers to help them stick together. Dust the top of the loaf with any flour that's left on the board (most of it will have stuck to the loaf as you shaped it)

Prove for 40 minutes (covered with a damp teatowel) before popping in a 200 degree oven for 40 minutes (or slightly more if you like a really crusty loaf).

There you go, a rustic easy loaf that's great with soups!