FOOD & DRINK : HOW TO GO WITH THE GRAINS

In flour power this week, Michael Bateman looks at the delicious bread to be baked from whole wheat, rye, oats, maize and barley

RYE, barley and oats were once the stuff of the people's bread in Britain. It was only the toffs who got to eat wheat bread; and even when ordinary people were privileged enough to get it, it tended to be wholemeal. Highly refined white breads, too, were the preserve of the well-to-do. Made from expensively sieved and bolted fine white flours, they were a luxury.

To this day, whiter-than-white bread is thought by many to be the most desirable - but not among true bread-lovers. Aware of the current commercial practice of bleaching flour to make it whiter, they seek out unbleached flour for home baking. They also prefer the bigger taste and firmer texture of wholemeal flours. Stoneground varieties are also considered more flavoursome, because fast-moving steel roller mills, according to bread aficionados, overheat the flour and impair its taste.

Most commercial flours also contain "improvers" - which enhance not the taste of the bread, but the efficiency of plant baking. One quality above all that appeals to the mass-production bakers is a flour's ability to inflate like a balloon when baked. White flour, which has a high gluten content, does this. But the home baker positively enjoys the challenge of flours made from rye, barley and oats instead. These have low gluten and do not rise so well as wheat flours, but they more than compensate in flavour and texture.

Last week we focused on Tom Jaine's new book Making Bread At Home (Weidenfeld & Nicolson pounds 14.99). This week we include two more of his recipes - one using maize flour, the other barley - but also draw upon The Bread Book (Conran Octopus pounds 19.99), written by Linda Collister with photographs by Anthony Blake. In putting the book together, Linda and Anthony have included recipes from world-famous chefs and bakers - enriched breads from Pierre Koffmann and Michel Roux, for example, and a chewy, tasty French country sourdough bread from the Parisian baker Lionel Poilane (we give Linda's version of his recipe opposite).

Last week we looked at white flours only. This week we include some recipes using wholemeal flour. The Basic Loaf (see right) uses half wholemeal and half white flour.

For the beginner, granary bread made from malted, multi-grain flour, is very easy - though you may have difficulty tracking down the flour. The Malted Grains Loaf we give on the right is Linda's recipe for granary bread. We also consider rye flour. For people living in Scandinavia, Germany or Eastern Europe, this is the real thing. We give Linda's recipe for Rye, Onion and Caraway Loaf.

Finally, since there is such a glut of them right now, we dip into yet another new bread book. This one is Breadmaking at Home, by lifelong baker Harold Bagust (Hale pounds 25). His oat bread (see page 59) is in "the fast lane"; it is made with baking powder, so doesn't require the long rising time necessary for yeast-risen breads.

Further essential reading comes in the form of Loaf, Crust and Crumb by Silvija Davidson (Michael Joseph pounds 17.99). This book doesn't offer any bread recipes as such, but what it does include is an 150-page alphabetical directory of breads - ranging from Aberdeen Buttery Rowies (butter rolls) to Zopf (the Swiss plaited milk loaf for which we gave a recipe last week) - and another 150 pages of recipes using bread, crumbs and croutons.

For some, the breads this week may pose a problem - not because they can't be mastered by patient study, but because you need access to sources of rye and other flours. Wholefood and health stores sell flours from local mills, and many stock the comprehensive Dove's Farm range of flours. You can seek out your local mills and suppliers in Henrietta Green's 1996 Food Lovers' Guide to Britain (BBC pounds 12.99).

BASIC LOAF

Here is how to make a fine-tasting, good-looking loaf. The combination of unbleached white flour, preferably stoneground, and stoneground wholemeal flour produces a loaf that is easy to work, yet well flavoured and with a good texture. It is shaped into an oval and baked on a baking tray rather than in a tin.

Makes 1 large loaf

350g/12oz unbleached white bread flour

350g/12oz stoneground wholemeal bread flour

15g/12oz sea salt, crushed

15g/12oz fresh yeast

430ml/15fl oz water, lukewarm

extra flour for dusting and sprinkling

vegetable oil for greasing bowl

large baking tray, lightly greased

Mix the two quantities of flour and the salt in a large mixing bowl. (In very cold weather, warm the bowl of flour in the oven for a few minutes to help the yeast start working).

Crumble the yeast into a small bowl with your fingers, and cream to a smooth paste using four tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Make a well in the centre of the flour, and pour in the yeast liquid. Pour the remaining lukewarm water into the well too.

Using your hand, draw a little flour into the well. Mix thoroughly. Gradually add more flour until you have a thick, smooth batter in the well.

Sprinkle the thick batter with a little flour to stop prevent skin from forming. Leave the batter for about 20 minutes to "sponge". It will become aerated and frothy and expand to fill the well in the flour.

Gradually mix the remaining flour into the batter. Have ready a little extra flour for dusting the work surface and adding it to the dough if it is too sticky. Gather the dough into a ball; it should be firm, and leave the side of the bowl clean. Add extra water or flour, one tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too dry or too sticky.

Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and knead it for 10 minutes. First stretch the dough away from you, then gather it back into a ball. Give a quarter turn, and keep repeating these movements. The dough will become smoother and more elastic and will look almost glossy. Shape it into a smooth ball.

Put the dough into a lightly greased bowl to stop it sticking. Cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to rise at cool to normal room temperature for 112-2 hours, or until dough has doubled in size. When properly risen, it will not spring back when you push your finger into its surface.

Knock back, or flatten, the risen dough in the bowl with your knuckles. Then turn it out on to a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into an oval by gently kneading.

Using the edge of your hand, make a good crease lengthways along the centre of the dough. Fold it over to make an oval sausage, then roll it over so the seam is underneath and the top looks smooth and evenly shaped.

Put the loaf, seam side down, on to the baking tray. With a sharp knife, slash the dough diagonally three times. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size.

While making the dough, preheat the oven to 425F/220C/Gas 7. Uncover the loaf and sprinkle the top with a little flour. Bake for 15 minutes until golden then lower the temperature to 375F/190C/Gas 5; continue baking for a further 20-25 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. If it doesn't, return it to the oven and bake for five minutes more.

MALTED GRAINS LOAF

Malted grains, or granary flour, make a light, textured loaf with large nutty pieces of wheat and a sweet taste. It is very good to toast. Linda Collister adds a little oil to the recipe to prevent a lot of crumbs. You can also use melted butter or white fat.

Taste and texture can be varied by replacing one-third of the flour with either stoneground wholemeal bread flour, or unbleached white bread flour.

This loaf will keep for four days and can be frozen for one month.

Makes 1 large loaf

680g/112lb malted grains or granary flour

15g/12oz sea salt

15g/12oz fresh yeast

400ml/14fl oz water, cold

1 tablespoon olive oil, vegetable oil or melted fat

extra flour for dusting

extra oil for greasing bowl

900g/2lb loaf tin, lightly greased

Make and knead the dough as for the basic loaf above, adding the oil or melted fat with the last of the water. Leave the dough to rise at cool- to-normal room temperature until doubled; this will take about 114 to 112 hours, slightly less time than the basic loaf.

Knock back the risen dough with your knuckles, then turn it out on to a lightly floured work surface. Pat out the dough to a rectangle the length of the tin. Shape into a roll, rolling up from the short end, then put into the tin, seam side down, tucking the ends under. Cover the tin with a damp tea towel and leave to rise at cool-to-normal room temperature until doubled in size - about one hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450F/230C/ Gas 8. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 400F/200C/Gas 6 and bake for 25-30 minutes longer, until the bread sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Turn out and cool on a rack.

Variations: If you like, this loaf can be made in a shape called a split loaf just before baking, using a knife to make a single deep slash lengthways along the centre of the risen loaf.

This dough can also be made into a cottage loaf. Shape the knocked-back dough into two balls of different sizes. Gently flatten each ball then fix the smaller ball on top by pushing a thumb and two fingers through the middle of both balls before leaving the loaf to rise.

Glaze and sprinkle with cracked wheat before putting the loaf into the oven. Make sure that the dough is fairly firm after it has been kneaded, to achieve a good "cottage" shape.

FRENCH SOURDOUGH LOAF

This is Linda Collister's version of the delicious, crusty, chewy loaf made popular by the Poilane family in Paris. Make sure the tea towel is dry and heavily floured before you put the dough in the basket. If it sticks to the towel while rising, it may collapse when it is turned out on to the baking tray. The first two or three batches you bake will taste good, but later batches, when the starter is established, will be even better.

You can vary the flour in this recipe, using any combination, even a little rye flour. The loaf is an excellent keeper, and tastes better as it matures. But it should be eaten within a week and is best thinly sliced.

Makes 1 large loaf

For the starter: 230g/8oz stoneground wholemeal bread flour

230ml/8fl oz water, lukewarm

For the sponge: 140ml/5fl oz water, lukewarm

230g/8oz unbleached white bread flour

For the dough: 55ml/2fl oz water, lukewarm

20g/34oz sea salt

230g/8oz unbleached white bread flour

extra flour for dusting

1 round basket, 22.5cm/9in wide and 10cm/4in high, lined with a heavily floured dry tea towel (optional)

baking tray, heavily floured

To make the starter, put the wholemeal flour in a small bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the lukewarm water and mix to make a very thick batter. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave at room temperature for three days, re-dampening the towel each day, so the batter absorbs the natural yeasts in the air. After three days, the starter should be smelly, grey and only slightly bubbly.

To make the sponge, pour the starter into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lukewarm water and add the white bread flour.

Beat with your hand for about one minute to make a thick batter. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave at room temperature for 24-36 hours until it is spongy and slightly bubbly. The longer you leave the sponge, the more pronounced the taste will be.

To make the dough, stir the sponged batter well. Beat in the remaining water and the salt, then mix in enough of the remaining white bread flour to make a soft but not sticky dough.

Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until firm and elastic. Return to the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise at normal room temperature until almost doubled in size, 8-12 hours.

Knock back the risen dough. Cut off 170-230g/6-8oz, and set aside for making the next starter (see below). Shape the rest of the dough into a ball and put into the cloth-lined basket, if using, or on to a baking tray.

Cover with a damp tea towel, and leave to rise at normal to warm room temperature until almost doubled in size, about eight hours. Subsequent batches may take less time.

Preheat the oven to 425F/220C/ Gas 7. Invert the loaf in the basket on to the baking tray. Using a sharp knife, slash the top of the loaf four times; do not drag the knife or the loaf may collapse. Sprinkle with flour.

Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 375F/190C/ Gas 5 and bake for 35-55 minutes longer until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Transfer to a wire rack; leave to cool completely.

To keep a starter for the next batch: Put the reserved 170-230g/6-8oz portion of dough into a greased plastic bag, and store in the fridge for up to three days. Alternatively, leave the dough in a small bowl covered with a damp tea towel at normal room temperature for up to two days, re- dampening the towel each day.

To use, start at the sponging stage in the recipe above; add a little extra lukewarm water to make a thick batter. Proceed with the recipe.

Note: This quantity of dough also fills a greased 900g/2lb loaf tin, or you can shape the dough into a bag and leave it to rise on the baking tray without first putting it into the tea towel-lined basket.

ONION AND CARAWAY RYE BREAD

Very good with pickled, cured and smoked fish, this light rye loaf tastes best one or two days after it has been baked. The caraway seeds can be replaced with lightly toasted cumin seeds for a spicier, fragrant loaf.

If you like heavy rye bread, substitute some stoneground wholemeal bread flour for an equal quantity of the unbleached white bread flour. This bread is best made with fresh yeast, so there are no instructions here for making with easy-blend dried yeast or dried yeast granules. Eat within four days of baking.

Makes 1 large loaf

230g/8oz rye flour

340g/12oz unbleached white bread flour

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoon caraway seeds, or to taste

15g/12oz fresh yeast

1 teaspoon dark muscovado sugar

340ml/12fl oz milk and water, mixed, lukewarm

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

extra flour for dusting

extra caraway seeds for sprinkling

900g/2lb loaf tin, greased

Mix the flours, salt and caraway seeds together in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Crumble the yeast into a small bowl. Cream it to a smooth liquid with the muscovado sugar and lukewarm liquid.

Pour the yeast mixture into the well in the flour. Mix in enough of the flour to make a thick batter. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to sponge for about 20 minutes (see the Basic Loaf recipe opposite).

Meanwhile, cook the onion very slowly in the vegetable oil until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Leave to cool. Add the cooled onion and any remaining oil to the sponge in the well in the flour and mix well. Gradually mix in the flour to make a soft but not sticky dough.

Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until it is firm, smooth and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave it to rise at normal room temperature until it has doubled in size. This should take from two to three hours.

Knock back the risen dough. Turn it out on to a lightly floured work surface and shape into a loaf to fit the tin. Place the dough, seam-side down, into the tin. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise at normal room temperature until doubled in size, 112-2 hours.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375F/ 190C/Gas 5. Gently brush the loaf with water. Sprinkle the top with caraway seeds.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Turn out and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

BARLEY BANNOCK

Bannock is a generic description of flat breads cooked in Scotland, Ireland and the north of England - ie, all those regions where wheat was not the primary staple grain. The grain used in bannocks might differ, just as it does in loaves of bread, but the common factor is that they are cooked on a griddle and are unleavened.

They are delicious - not as enriched as girdle or drop scones, and certainly not as sweet, but they make a wonderful tea bread. In this recipe, the bannock is cut into sections before being cooked. Strictly speaking, once a bannock is cut, the sections are "scones" - though common usage would now have it that scones are sweetened and often have currants in them.

Makes 1 round, cut into 4

120g/4oz barley flour

60g/2oz unbleached white plain flour

12 teaspoon cream of tartar

12 teaspoon salt

150ml/5fl oz milk and plain yoghurt, mixed half and half; or buttermilk if available

12 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Sift the two flours, cream of tartar and salt together into a bowl. Mix the milk and yoghurt with the bicarbonate of soda and add to the bowl. Bring together into a soft dough, which you may work briefly on a floured work surface. Form the dough into a ball, and press it with your hand to form a disc about half an inch thick. Cut the disc into four.

Heat a griddle on the top of the stove (if you don't own a griddle, use a heavy frying pan). It should be hot but not burning. Feel the heat by holding your hand around an inch above the surface; it should warm the palm.

Cook the bread for four to five minutes on either side, until brown. Wrap the bannocks in a cloth to keep the outsides soft, and eat them fairly quickly after cooking.

ROLLED OAT BREAD

Oat bread does not keep, says baker Harold Bagust, and neither can it be frozen. When still warm from the oven, though, it is delicious when spread with butter, jam or a savoury spread. There is no kneading involved, and the dough is unsuitable for tray-baking.

Makes 1 medium-sized loaf

420ml/34 pint scalded whole milk

110g/4oz rolled oats

5g/1 teaspoon salt

110g/4oz caster sugar

25g/5 teaspoons fresh baking powder (not soda)

335g/12oz stoneground wholemeal flour

1 egg, size 3

Pour the hot milk over the rolled oats, stir briefly, and allow to stand until cool. Sieve the salt, sugar and baking powder into a large bowl then mix in the flour very thoroughly.

Beat the egg and whisk into the cooled oats/milk mixture. When thoroughly incorporated, stir into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth and silky. Place in a well-greased tin and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, before baking in the centre of the oven, pre-heated to 350F/180C/Gas 4, for about 90 minutes.

After an hour, test by tapping the base of the loaf with the fingertips. If the bread sounds hollow, it is done; if not, continue baking, testing every 10 minutes.

Variations: Strong white flour can be used as an alternative to wholemeal, but the crumb will be grey and not so attractive in appearance.

The sugar content can be slightly increased or decreased to suit personal preference; this recipe will produce a relatively sweet bread, very popular with children.

SOUTHERN CORN BREAD

When the first European settlers arrived in north America, the native Indians had maize as their staple, a grain unheard of in Europe. The settlers took to this Indian corn as readily as did their Spanish predecessors in the lands to the south. The American adoption of Indian recipes, and their adaptation to European practice, has given us some enjoyable loaves.

Soon the settlers were making corn "pone" (from the Algonquin "appone") and Johnny cakes (perhaps named after the Shawnee tribe) as often as breads made from grains they had brought with them across the ocean. Some recipes combined the old with the new, while others mixed maize with eggs to make almost a souffle. This was called spoon bread. The particular recipe below is as simple as can be, but perfect served hot with bacon in the morning.

Makes one 22.5cm/9in bread

150g/5oz medium or fine cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

12 teaspoon salt

1 egg

250ml/9fl oz milk

bacon fat for greasing the frying pan

Heat the oven to 450F/230C/Gas 8, then heat a 22.5cm/9in ovenproof frying pan.

Mix the cornmeal, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Mix the egg into the milk and pour the mixture on to the cornmeal. Stir to incorporate, then beat well to ensure the batter is absolutely smooth.

Grease the warmed frying pan with bacon fat, and pour in the batter carefully. Return it to the oven and bake the bread for about 15 minutes, until golden.

Slip the cooked bread out of the frying pan, slice it and eat hot with rashers of bacon.

Note: How finely the corn has been ground makes a difference to this recipe. If you can only locate coarse meal, or corn sold for polenta in the Italian style, make it finer by whizzing it in your spice or coffee grinder. !