Baguette Pain a l’Ancienne

Name: Baguette Pain a l’Ancienne
Yield: makes 6 baguettes, 4 ciabatta, 6 to 8 pizzas, or one 17 by 12-inch focaccia
Ingredients: 6 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour, plus more for sprinkling; 2 1/4 teaspoons Kosher salt; 1 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast; 2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons to 3 cups water, ice cold (40°F); Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting

January 24, 2012

Peter Reinhart is a well-known cookbook author; his Crust and Crumb, The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, and Whole Grain Breads have been graced with prestigious awards. At Ramekins, where he occasionally teaches bread classes, Peter and I baked bread and pizzas together in the wood-fired oven after his last class. This recipe came from his The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. It is an amazing formula that can be turned into baguettes, ciabatta, focaccia, and pizza. That baking session was about a lot more than the recipe. It was about the primary message of this book: joyfully cooking and sharing with others at the fire.

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