Bread #2

Pan de tierra incomoda' or loosely translated: 'rough country bread'

This is a chewy bread (that's how it's described on this old recipe card)-

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1-1/2 cps warm water
3 cps. sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cp. masa trigo....this is a high gluten flour [sub: bread flour]
1 tsp salt
2 tsp masa harina
1 tsp coarse grind cornmeal

esponja
1. mix together: yeast, 3/4 cp of water and 1 cp unbleached flour, blend well. Cover with warm towel and set in a warm, dark spot. Allow dough to rise, double in size, about 30-40 min.
2.stir in the trigo, salt and remaining water. Slowly add remaining unbleached flour until you have a slightly moist and manageable dough.
3. knead the dough on a board with flour and the masa harina. Work the dough with the base of your hands for 6-7 minutes. form dough into ball
4. place ball in a lightly oiled, deep bowl. Cover with warm towel and allow dough to again double in bulk, about 1 hour.
5. repeat steps 3 & 4
6. to keep this authentic, you will repeat steps 3,4,&5 two more times. Now's the time to start that novel you've been thinking about.
7. Finally, knead the dough one last time for 5 min.
Divide the dough in half. Form into football (USA) shapes. Lightly coat with clarified butter or canola oil
8. place each in it's own greased 8"-9" layer cake pan
9. Sprinkle each with remaining masa harina and cornmeal...cover and allow to set for 30 minutes.
10. Pre-heat oven to 500...yep, 500!
11. place an oven proof bowl half filled with cool water on lower rack. As soon as you see steam rising -
12. put bread into oven on upper rack.
13, bake bread for 15 min. keeping an eye on the water, adding more if necessary.
14. reduce oven temp to 400, cook for 15 min.
15 as soon as the loaves are a nice, brown color, remove from oven.
16. outer crust should be slightly 'separated' from rest of bread
17. allow to cool. Outer crust very crunchy. Middle, slightly firm and chewy.
Enjoy!