French Bread

Dissolve half of the yeast in 1 cup of water. Once dissolved, add the whole wheat flour and mix well. Let this sit at room temperature to ferment, about 3 1/2 hours. Then, add the rest of the yeast and the remaining water. Mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, leaving out a bit of the all-purpose flour, and work this mixture into a dough consistency.

Knead the dough, adding the remaining flour if necessary, until it’s nice and smooth. Return the dough to the bowl and cover it. Let it rise for about an hour or until doubled in volume.

Divide the dough into 4 balls. Shape each one into a long loaf and set them on two baking sheets that have been dusted well with cornmeal. Score the loaves with 3 or 4 diagonal slashes with a sharp knife. Cover the loaves with a towel and let them rise for another hour.

Bake the loaves in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven for about 30 minutes or until golden. Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 4 skinny loaves, about 15 inches long