The Direct Farmer’s Bread is a great, time-saving recipe for beginner home bakers that can be made in a day.
Of the rye bread recipes that can be found in Modernist Cuisine at Home, this one has a lower rye flour percentage. The blend of wheat and rye offers the best of both flours: gluten provided by the wheat gives the bread structure and a more open crumb, while the rye offers flavor and a chewy texture. One twist that’s different from many breads is that the loaf is baked seam side up rather than down. This creates natural—if irregular—splits in the surface of the bread while baking. The splits act as a score on the bread, which is not only practical but also creates a beautiful, rustic-looking loaf.
Using commercial yeast is not only easier than relying on a preferment for the leavener but also a speedier option since the proofing time is significantly reduced. What you miss out on—what only time can contribute—is the depth and complexity of flavor that levain and prolonged proofing time offer. But to have a rustic loaf with this much character in a fraction of the original time is not a bad compromise.
