There’s nothing, in the kitchen, like the smell and gratification that comes from mixing together the ingredients to make a yeast bread, watching the sticky dough magically double in size, and then breathe in the aroma of the bread baking in the oven.
3 1/2cupsall-purpose einkorn flourSee "Ingredient Notes" for using whole wheat einkorn flour or freshly-milled einkorn flour., 440 g, where to buy
Instructions
In a large bowl, sprinkle the active dry yeast over the water. Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes. You'll notice that the yeast begins to foam and sink.
Whisk in the honey, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Add the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon just until it becomes too hard to stir the mixture with a spoon. Your hands will get messy for this next part, that's just part of the bread-making process.
Use your fingertips to bring the rest of the flour into the dough mixture. This may require gently kneading the dough a couple of times. Einkorn doesn't like to be messed with, so do not overwork the dough. Stop "kneading" once the flour has been combined with the wet ingredients. The dough will probably feel and look sticky. That's okay! Einkorn slowly absorbs liquid ingredients, so as it rests, it will absorb more of the liquids.
Cover the dough with a towel, and let it rest and double in size for about an hour. I've let my dough rest for an entire afternoon without issue. The goal here is at least an hour resting time. Keep in mind that if your home is very humid and hot, the dough may get stickier.
Once the dough has doubled in size (about an hour), coat your hands with a bit of flour (this is optional, but it makes working with the dough easier), and form the dough into a loaf. I simply grab the dough, and shape it into a loaf. Einkorn is a bit sticky to roll out. If your dough is too sticky to handle, add just a couple of tablespoons of flour to the dough (until you reach a workable consistency), but remember not to overwork the dough while adding the flour.
Place the loaf in a standard-size bread pan that's been greased or lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375F. Cover the bread with a towel, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. The bread will again begin to rise and double in size. After 30 minutes, place the bread (with the towel removed) in the oven (preferably in the center of your oven), and bake for about 35 minutes. I've had to go as long as 40 minutes in the past, due to opening the oven door a couple of times while baking. The bread should have a golden crust and should have (imperfect) "lifted" sides.
I know it's tempting to eat the bread fresh from the oven, but it's best to allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing.