Pain Façon Beaucaire

Ingredients:

3 1/3 tsp (9.45 g) Active Dry Yeast
4 c (510g) White Bread Flour
1 ¾ tsp (10g) Salt
1 ½ c (354.4g) Lukewarm Water

• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl for two minutes. Transfer the dough to a working surface. Knead the dough for 5 minutes and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

• Resume kneading the dough for 20 minutes stretching the dough and folding it as it is rotated.

• Transfer the dough to an oiled container, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 hour.

• Heat the oven to 450°F. Place the dough on a work surface and stretch it into a 8″x11″ rectangle. Brush the top of the dough and dust with some flour. Fold the dough over leaving 2 inches on the top making a 8” x 6.6” rectangle. Brush the 2 in segment with water and fold it back over the dough and seal. Dust the dough with flour.

• Place the dough seam-side down on a towel that has been dusted with flour.  Cover the dough with another floured towel. Let the dough rise for 30 min.

• Cut the dough into 1 in. pieces and open the holes. Place the pieces on the floured towel and let them rise for 30 min.

• Bake the bread for 12-15 minutes until they develop a dark brown crust.