Barley Bread

Barley Bread


Alexandr Piatkov




"... there is a lad here who has five barley loaves..."

— John 6:9



The low insulin index of barley products is the main reason people choose to give

up wheat bread and switch to barley. It is an excellent choice for anyone

watching their weight and health.


Making barley bread is much simpler than making wheat bread. This text outlines

the core principles of its preparation using a specific example. Of course, there

are countless variations. Barley bread was baked in Ancient Rome long before

wheat became common. Even the famous biblical miracle of feeding the multitude

with "five loaves" involved barley bread. History has left us a wealth of

material to recreate it.


In our industrial world, it is convenient to rely on standard packaging. For this

recipe, I use pearl barley groats, which were used to bake the bread in this

example. One package weighs 600 grams, and I take three packages. All other

ingredients are proportioned to this amount.


First, sift the barley groats. Save the resulting flour; we will add it to the

dough at the final stage after introducing the starter. Thoroughly wash the

remaining groats to remove all dust, changing the water several times. Drain the

water completely and leave the wet groats to swell.


Take half a pack of rye bran (about 75 grams) and soak it in 200 ml of warm

water. Place it in a warm spot to trigger the fermentation of wild yeast. To keep

it warm, you can place a pot or a kettle of hot water next to the jar of this

primitive starter and cover everything with a blanket. Stir the bran periodically

and reheat the water in the kettle as needed. The fermentation usually peaks in

about 8 hours.


Once the starter reaches its peak fermentation, you can add raw yeast. Dissolve

one teaspoon of yeast in 50 ml of warm water and mix it in.


When active fermentation is clearly visible, add a couple of tablespoons of wheat

flour to this mixture of rye bran and yeast. Stir thoroughly and wait for intense

foaming.


The next step is scaling up the starter. Rinse your mixing bowl with boiling

water to warm it up. Pour the starter into the bowl and add 200 ml of warm rye

malt infusion. To make the infusion, pour boiling water over a teaspoon of rye

malt and let it steep until it cools. Next, sift in about 400 grams of wheat or

rye flour. Mix everything well and place it in a warm spot until signs of

vigorous fermentation appear. Regular stirring and warming the starter—just like

in the first stage—will help speed up this process.


When the starter is ready (it will develop a noticeably viscous texture), pour

boiling water over the barley groats and drain it immediately. This warms the

groats up and gives the bread a slightly chewy texture characteristic of choux

pastry. Then, mix the warm barley groats with the starter. Add the barley flour

saved from the sifting in the first step. Mix everything thoroughly and place it

back in a warm spot.


The porridge-like consistency of the dough allows gases to escape freely. Because

of this, the dough will not rise significantly, but the fermentation will still

be quite visible. Keep stimulating the process by stirring and keeping it warm.

At this stage, you can also add 100 ml of well-heated sunflower oil, stirring it

in quickly and thoroughly.


Once stable fermentation indicates that the dough is ready, use a ladle to

transfer it into baking pans that have been greased and dusted with breadcrumbs.

Leave the pans in a warm place for the final proofing.


In this specific example, the bread was baked at maximum heat for 25 minutes.

Then, the pans were rotated, and the bread was baked for another 25 minutes.


On a timeline, this entire process is quite flexible. Barley dough does not

require the strict control that wheat dough does; it will not overflow or over-

sour. The whole procedure can take about 17 hours, allowing you to work at your

own pace and in a relaxed style. The only stage that requires close attention is

the baking itself. Once done, remove the pans from the oven and let them cool

slightly. Then, turn the loaves out onto wooden racks and cover them with a cloth

to let them cool down gently.


Good luck to everyone wishing to return to dietary roots! An ancient athletic

physique, rational thinking, and a clear mind will be your reward!





PUBLICATION DETAILS & CREDITS
Original Author: Alexandr Piatkov
Original Text: proza.ru/avtor/alexanderan
Copyright: © Alexandr Piatkov, 2022
Original Publication Certificate: No. 222051201296
English Translation by: AI Collaborator (Human-Centric Literary Translation)