Gluten-Free Farmhouse Bread
I am always looking for good gluten-free recipes, and I came across this one online by Ali and Tom of Whole Life Nutrition [1]. I did make a number of modifications to the recipe after the first time I made it, which I have listed below. It is a very dense, heavy bread and uses ground chia seeds and psyllium husk as the gluten-like substances.
The loaf looked very good going into the oven (left) and came out well fully baked. I found that it may take a little longer to bake than the recipe to be fully done.
The crumb is dense and heavy, but the taste of the bread is quite tasty and tangy.
Wet Ingredients:
2 ½ cups warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
1 tablespoon agave nectar (you can use maple syrup as a substitute)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup whole psyllium husks [2]
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup teff flour
1-1/2 cup all purpose gluten-free baking flour (like Bob’s Red Mill—reserve some flour for kneading)
½ cup brown rice flour
1 cup gluten-free oat flour
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
¼ cup flax seeds
Topping:
Olive oil spray (or olive oil)
Toasted sesame seeds
Toasted sunflower seeds
Place the warm water in a bowl or 4-cup liquid glass measure. Add the yeast and agave nectar, whisk together. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes to activate the yeast. The mixture should get foamy or bubbly.
While the yeast is activating, mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
After the yeast is activated whisk in the olive oil, ground chia seeds (it's best to grind them yourself), and psyllium husks into the water-yeast mixture. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes (not any longer) to let the chia and psyllium release their gelatinous substances. Whisk again.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix together with a large wooden spoon until thick. Then knead the dough on a floured wooden board to fully incorporate the flour. Add more teff and all-purpose flours, a little at a time, until the dough holds together and isn’t too sticky (about ¼ to ½ cup total). Don’t add too much flour, otherwise the dough will become very dense; it should still be slightly sticky. Form dough into a ball, place back into the large bowl, and cover with a damp towel. Place in a warm spot to rise until it is doubled in size, about one hour.
After the dough has risen, place a pizza stone in your oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven (the one beneath the pizza stone).
Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured wooden board. Stretch and fold the dough and then form into a round ball. Place on a square of parchment paper and score the dough with a shallow “tic-tac-toe” pattern on the top. Spray (or drizzle) with olive oil and sprinkle the seeds on top. Let rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place while the oven and stone are preheating.
Carefully lift the parchment paper with the risen loaf and place it onto the stone in the oven. Bake for about 40-45 minutes; if bottom is soft, bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 30 to 60 minutes before cutting into it. The bread will be very gummy hot out of the oven.