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🍞 Your Guide to Whole-Grain Baking (and a Pizza!)
Published about 14 hours ago • 3 min read
My best whole-grain breads
This past week, I've been testing whole-grain flour in a few new ways, and it's got me thinking: this week's newsletter should follow suit!
So this week, it’s all whole grains. Not every loaf is 100% whole wheat, but the flavor and nutrition are front and center in each one. Plus a few freshly milled loaves, if that’s your thing too.
But first!
I wanted to share a pizza I made in my home oven. Read on!
In this week's newsletter:
Recipes: 90 Rye; 100% Whole Wheat; Honey Whole Wheat Pan Loaf; Spelt, Rye, and Wheat
Baking Tip: Does a starter just die sometimes?
Links: Is This Viral $60 Rye Bread Worth It?; At 19, She Opened a Pizzeria in the Italian Alps
Click to watch me make pizza from The Perfect Pizza
This is one of many sourdough pizza recipes in my book, out November 10th.
If you haven’t preordered yet, now’s the time. Preorders are how publishers and bookstores decide how many copies to print and put on shelves, so each one quietly makes the book easier for the next person to find. It’s the single biggest thing readers can do for an author (and honestly, it means a lot).
You've probably seen the $60 rye loaf for sale in NYC (I have the link at the end of this email)... Well, I present an extremely flavorful loaf made with 90% whole-grain rye. This is a flavor powerhouse, and it's also a quick, easy bread to make.
While not 100% whole wheat, this loaf is a touch sweet thanks to the honey, but it's so well balanced against the whole wheat—this is the kind of bread you find yourself making regularly because it's so tasty and nutritious and versatile (sandwiches! French toast! eating plain just because you can!).
This loaf is really flavorful; each grain brings its own character and depth. If you don't have spelt, swap it out for more whole wheat (I think you should definitely get some!).
Want to chat with me and a bunch of other friendly and enthusiastic bakers? Join us and get all my sourdough tools, exclusive recipes, and access to our private chat channel. Plus, get first dibs on booking workshops and international trips (think: Sicily, Copenhagen, and more)!
Does a starter just die sometimes? I have had mine for 5 years, and it has been consistently strong. I have tried everything to reset and restart it, but it doesn’t rise…. It has a few bubbles but no rise.
No, if you care for it properly, it shouldn't spontaneously die. I've had mine for over 12 years (and know other bakers who have maintained starters for much longer—see the P.S. at the end of this newsletter!).
That said, sometimes I've seen it slow down and need help. Here's what I recommend. Treat it like a sick child, and:
Use 50% whole grain rye flour to feed it for a week (the rest can be any white flour)
Feed it with warm water or keep it in a warm spot (78°F would be great)
If you usually keep it in the fridge, keep it out on the counter during this week and feed it once or twice a day.
Give it a little more attention. Watch it rise and fall, and feed it when needed.
Only feed it twice if you see lots of bubbles and vigorous fermentation activity.
Do that for a week, and it should spring back!
🛟 2 Ways I Can Help You Today
Getting cold in the kitchen? See my top tips for baking bread in the winter (especially important for maintaining that starter!).
Do you mill your own flour? See my guide to freshly milling flour at home for how I do it, how I keep flour fresh, and my go-to sources for the best grain.
📙 What I'm Reading and Watching
Is This Viral $60 Rye Bread Worth It? (Food & Wine). I'm certainly not against bakers charging properly for what they make, but this feels like a bit of a publicity stunt 🙂
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Maurizio Leo
Want to make bakery-quality sourdough bread from home? Subscribe for the best sourdough guides and recipes to take your bread from ordinary to incredible.
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