1 1/2cupswhole wheatI used freshly ground hard white wheat
3 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
Instructions
Day One: Mix the water, milk, yeast, salt, maple syrup and oil in a large bowl or a lidded (not airtight) storage container. I use a plastic shoebox size container with a lid that simply clicks on and off. If you do not have a lid that is NOT airtight, you can drill or cut a small hole in the lid and vent it that way.
Next, add in the whole wheat flour, AP flour and oatmeal and stir until combined. Let this rest on the counter, covered, in the non-airtight container, for approximately 2-3 hours. The dough should rise and then collapse (flatten on top). Store this dough in the refrigerator for up to a week.
On Baking Day: Grease a 9x4x3-inch loaf pan and set aside. Sprinkle flour on a silpat mat or the counter. Sprinkle flour across the top of the refrigerator dough and then cut or tear off a one-third section of it. Flour your hands and quickly shape the dough into a ball and stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all sides, rotate the ball as you go around it shaping the dough.
This is a very wet dough. I found that if I rounded the dough from the bottom and pulled the sides up on top that worked better for forming the rounded shape. Sprinkle flour as needed on the surface of the dough while you are working with it.
Place the dough (folded ends tucked underneath) inside the loaf pan. Stretch it slightly to form more of an oval in the pan. Allow it to rise for 2 1/2 - 3 hours on the counter. (With the added oats and flour it took much longer than the suggested 1.5 hours each time I made this.) Sprinkle flour on the top of the loaf just before baking.
Twenty minutes before it's time to make the bread, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place an empty broiler tray on the lowest shelf of the oven. I keep a baking pan in the oven that I use just for this purpose.
Place your bread in the oven and then pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray (or pan) in the bottom of the oven. Quickly close the oven door. This is essential for breads with a cracked crust. The steam from the water creates the lovely crust.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until deeply browned and firm. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.