Gabi'S Bread

Directions

1. 1
   Plan well in advance! At least 2 and a half days ahead of when you might want the bread, make the sourdough starter: dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and pour into a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the flour to make a smooth batter. Cover and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
2. 2
   Again mIx well and allow to rest for a further 24 hours. The result will be a fragrant, quite liquid, yeasty batter.
3. 3
   At least 7-8 hours before the starter is ready prepare the 'soaker', ie: soak the linseed in a cup of water.
4. 4
   Hours have gone by and you are almost at the crunch! The hard work starts here...
5. 5
   In a new bowl, mix all the dry ingredients: the 2 flours, sugar, salt, sunflower and sesame seeds. Add the starter, the soaker and the remaining warm water and start mixing and kneading. If you have a heavy duty mixer with a dough hook you can use it for the first couple of minutes. After that, I recommend you carry on kneading by hand onto a lightly floured surface. This is the only way to rightly gauge the dough consistency and the need, perhaps, to add a little more water. Keep going for a good 15 minutes. It is pretty hard work but ever so rewarding. I much rather be doing this than going to the gym!
6. 6
   Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover and let rise for 2 hours, after which, return it to the floured surface and knead again for a further 5 minutes. Shape the dough into 2 oblong loaves placed on top of a baking tray or into 2 loaf tins (i have tried both and I think the second solution works best although the final result might have less visual impact). Cover with oiled clingfilm and let it rise for 1 more hour.
7. 7
   Meanwhile preheat the oven to 220C°. Sprinkle some flour on top of the loaves and score them lengthwise. Bake for 45 minutes. Do not worry if the crust turns dark: it is in the nature of this bread. Allow to cool before slicing (if you manage!!!).
8. 8
   If wrapped inside a cloth, this bread will last for up to a week.