It was a warm summer afternoon of some years ago. I was in Greece and was walking along the street around the main square of the town overlooking the sea. I think I walked on that street several times but that day, for the first time, I noticed a signboard that advertised a bakery, an old fashioned bakery, like the bakeries of good old times. The arrow indicated a place a few meters on the right, along a steep staircase that would have deterred anyone. But, intrigued, I decided to have a look and in a moment I was catapulted in another world. At the counter there was Christos, an old man on whose skin I could read fatigue, sweating and hard work. Christos welcomed me with a large smile and with a gesture of the hand showed me his shop. On the shelves of ancient wood, there were breads that I think I only saw in old pictures. Dark, crispy and scented breads. In the oven anise cookies were cooking while the cinnamon biscuits had just been taken from the oven. But, what impressed me above all else, was the nearby room. The door was open and around the big table full of flour there was Christos’ family, all the generations, that, full of joy, laughing and speaking aloud in a such lovely way that only Greek people can do, kneaded the dough. In that room were created all the breads, pastries and cookies of the shops. For what concerns me, that image has always given a feeling of good mood, the idea of family and serenity, of things made together that taste good. With the recipe of today, the whole grain multi cereal bread, I tried to communicate that images. The recipe speaks of reunited families that knead the dough together, kids and adults.
Ingredients
650 grams of flours, whole grain and semi whole grain chosen on the basis of your disposal (For example, 400 grams of semi whole wheat flour, 250 grams of whole wheat flour)
12,5 grams of fresh brewer’s yeast (or 5 grams of dry granular yeast)
370 grams of lukewarm water
50 grams of seeds (sunflower, flaxseed, sesame and pumpkin)
20 grams of extra virgin olive oil
8 grams of sea salt
Dissolve the fresh brewer’s yeast in the water. If you had the dry yeast, follow the indication on the pack. In a bowl mix the flours, pour the water with the yeast and the oil. Knead the dough and throw a couple of times the dough against the working table. Incorporate the salt and knead again the dough. Incorporate the seeds. Place the dough on a bowl covered with a cloth. Let it raise for a night. The next morning take the bread and, on the working table, give it an elongated shape. Place the bread on a baking pan covered with baking paper. Let it raise for an hour in the oven with the light switched on and covered with a cloth. Cook at 200°C for the first 14 minutes, then lower the temperature at 180°C for 30 minutes.
