French Peasant Walnut Bread (Pain aux Noix)
This dense French walnut loaf is one version of a bread often served with the cheese course in France. Chef-owner Michel Lorain serves this at La Cote Saint Jacques in Joigny, France.
1 cup coarsely broken walnuts
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 F)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups each rye flour and all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine
Place walnuts in an 8- or 9-inch wide pan. Bake in a 350 F oven until lightly toasted, 10 to 12 minutes; shake often. Let cool.
In a large bowl, soften yeast in water. Stir in salt, sugar, rye flour, 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, and walnuts. Mix well.
Scrape dough out onto a board coated with remaining all-purpose flour. Knead briefly until smooth and no longer sticky when lightly touched. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion of dough into a 2- by 10-inch log; place loaves about 4 inches apart on a greased 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until slightly puffy, 30 to 40 minutes.
Brush top of loaves with melted butter. Bake in a 425 F oven until loaves are well browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on a rack. Cut into thin slices to serve. Or store airtight up to 3 days; freeze to store longer.
Makes 2 loaves, each about 3/4 pound.
Source: Los Angeles Daily News & Sunset Magazine, 1987