Arkatena

Arkatena

overnight poolish, 50 min bake, 185°C (165°C fan), makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

Spiced water (night before)
water                350g
bay leaves           3
black peppercorns    3g
ginger               15g
sugar                4g

Poolish (night before)
chickpea flour       60g
strong white flour   90g
spiced water         200g
fast action yeast    1g

Dough
strong white flour   300g
spiced water         90g
salt                 8g
olive oil            30g
ground mahlepi       1g
ground mastic        0.5g
nutmeg               0.5g
fast action yeast    1g

To top
white sesame seeds   20g
black sesame seeds   5g

Recipe

Night before

1. Make the spiced water. Boil together for a minute:

[water 350g, bay leaves 3, black peppercorns 3g, ginger 15g, sugar 4g]

Steep until lukewarm, then strain. You need about 290g.

2. Stir to a loose batter, about pancake-batter thickness:

[chickpea flour 60g, strong flour 90g, spiced water 200g, yeast 1g]

Cover and leave somewhere warm 12 to 16 hours, until bubbly and risen. Save the rest of the spiced water for tomorrow.

Next day

1. Tip into the stand mixer:

[poolish, strong flour 300g, salt 8g, olive oil 30g, mahlepi 1g, mastic 0.5g, nutmeg 0.5g, yeast 1g]

Add the 90g spiced water a little at a time, kneading with the dough hook on low to bring together, then medium 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth. Keep it firm and stiff, that gives the tight crumb. By hand, knead 10 minutes.

Use the whole poolish, no need to measure it. Add the water until it comes together into a firm, stiff dough, not sticky. Poolishes vary, so if yours is loose, hold back some water or work in a little more strong white flour. All the dough flour is strong white bread flour, the chickpea flour went in the poolish.

2. Cover and prove until doubled, 1.5 to 2 hours.

3. Shape into a 28cm oblong, seam underneath. Brush all over with water, then roll the top and sides in the sesame so it coats everywhere.

4. Put on a lined tray. Slash 4 or 5 cuts across the top, about 1cm deep, to mark the slices. Prove 45 minutes to 1 hour, the cuts open up and set. Start heating the baking stone now, if using.

5. Bake at 185°C (165°C fan) for 45 to 50 minutes, until deep golden and hollow underneath. Tent loosely with foil if the sesame browns too fast.

6. Cool fully before slicing.

Bake on a stone or a flat tray.

❄ Freezer
Freeze: wrap the whole loaf well, or freeze in slices.
Reheat: thaw at room temperature, or refresh in a warm oven.
Keeps: dense and long lasting, several days in a tin, 3 months frozen.