Making Swiss Style Bread from Scratch

Today I am preparing bread for weekend breakfasts. There is nothing better than having nice crunchy toast with eggs on weekends. There are so may different types of breads out there that I can be confusing. Sometimes I buy sourdough spelt bread from the Sonoma Bakery in Paddington but there is nothing better than home made bread.
This is the only bread that I have no trouble digesting. It maybe because I use low gluten, wheat free flour, everything is organic and it contains no preservatives. The original recipe is from a book called “Winter in the Alps” by Manuela Darling. I have altered it slightly but same Swiss style bread.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of dry yeast
1 tablespoon of honey
200 ml warm water
200g organic yogurt

500g organic rye flour (stone ground if you can find it)
500g organic spelt flour (stone ground if you can find it)
300g red qiunoa
pinch of salt

First, I add 2 tablespoons of dried yeast and 1 tablespoon of honey to about 200 gms of yogurt (I use Meredith sheeps) and about 200 ml of warm water in a jar with a lid. Then I give it a quick shake, remove the lid and leave for 5-10 until frothy (this is how I know the yeast is activated). This is basically a quick sourdough starter. You could leave it over night but there is no need.

Put 500g of spelt flour, 500g rye flour and 300g of red qiunoa in a large mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt. Make a well in centre then add the frothy yogurt/yeast mix. Give a good mix and once everything starts to come together (you may need to add more warm water), pour mix on the bench and knead for 5-10 minutes until shiny and when you touch with your finger dough should spring back.

Place in a warm place for 1 hour.

Pre heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Roll dough into large sausage shape or two small ones, depending on how much bread you eat in a week. I like the look of a big loaf of bread on a wooden chopping board but making two small ones is more practical. Leave to rise again for an hour.

Place in oven for 30-40 minutes on 200 degrees Celsius. Throw in a splash of water every now and then to make a crunchy outside.

Eat with lashings of butter while still warm, Yum.

This book also have great bircher muesli recipes. My favourite one is the Kulm Fit muesli. It has lots of linseeds, pear and banana in it. It is simple delicious.

*For Sydney people, you can buy stone ground flour from whole foods house and even better grind your own grains at wild food in Bondi junction. Any good health food shop should be able to help you with this.

** You could substitute rye and spelt flour for qiunoa, amaranth, or any other flour of your choice.