Tartine Basic Country Loaf, in a lodge loaf pan (with pictures)

So, now that I am nearly a novice bread maker and able to make a loaf of bread almost from memory,* I decided it is time to stretch my wings and see if I can make the bread in my Lodge loaf pan.

Keeping in mind that my goal was a loaf of delicious bread that I could slice more easily for sandwiches and that I had the idea only after the final rise and therefore needed to get a round risen dough into a rectangular pan (which I let sit on stove while first loaf baked), I did not fail out of the gate. Surprising, since I winged  baking times and used a turkey roaster lid on top of a griddle to create my dutch oven.

The loaf had phenomenal oven spring, and browned fairly nicely. I think I could have made a nice loaf with half the dough. The bread is perfect for sandwiches. It cuts pretty easily, is just chewy enough and, of course, delicious.

*This morning I was going to start two round loaves for the holidays.  Before doing so, I made wafiles with my starter. And after putting away dishes, I realizes that I had used my leaven and not my starter. So, now I know that leaven with an egg, 2 tbsp of olive oil, and a tbsp of grade B maple syrup (and a bit of baking soda in warm water stirred into the batter) makes a great Belgian waffle!  The batter is super thick, does not fill the griddle when open but spreads into a full waffle once the griddle is flipped, and it comes out great and crisp. Three waffles.