French Bread

This is a wheat-free recipe. It is NOT a gluten-free recipe.

Submitted by Judy Corkill

Source: Cook Right 4 Your Blood Type by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo with Catherine Whitney

1 1/4 cups warm water
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
4 to 5 cups spelt flour (can use 4 cup white spelt
    flour and 1 cup whole-grain spelt)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornmeal or rice flour (if necessary, for baking sheet only)
1 beaten egg

Combine water, sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir until dissolved and let set 10 minutes.

Add 4 cups white spelt flour and salt. Mix well with a dough hook attachment on a mixing machine or with a wooden spoon. When the dough is well mixed and still sticky, turn it onto a well-floured surface. Begin to knead by hand, adding in more whole grain spelt flour as needed. (you can use white spelt also) Knead 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turn once to cover with oil, and cover with a clean towel. Place in a warm spot in your kitchen and let rise for 2 hours. The back of the stove with a pilot light is ideal. Near a radiator or a warm stove is also good.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch down and divide in half. Roll into baguettes by folding the dough into itself, then rolling it with your hands from the middle outward. Place in French-bread pans, or place on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal or rice flour. Brush each loaf with beaten egg, cut 3 diagonal gashes about 1/4 inch deep, and let rise a second time, about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F and bake loaves 30 to 35 minutes. Bread should sound hollow when tapped on the underside.

Yields 2 loaves.

NOTE: To double this recipe, you may find that it only takes 7 1/2 to 8 cups of flour.