A simple bread made with no tools

I’m writing to you from a little town in Northern Italy, where I’m spending my holidays hiking and dreaming about living off foraged wild herbs and flowers. But instead, for now I’ll stop during my hikes to order a Polenta Concia (think of a thick, creamy cornmeal porridge loaded with local cheese and butter until it's almost more cheese than polenta) at the Rifugio, the closest thing to a restaurant in the middle of a mountain trail.

And even though I tried to live on store-bought bread for a few days (to actually relax and not work) by day 8 I gave in and started buying ingredients to make a homemade loaf of gluten-free bread and an apple pound cake for tea time.

That’s when I thanked my past self for having packed a small portion of psyllium and dry yeast. This buckwheat and rice bread is very simple and can be mixed with just a spoon and a bowl. (Yes, I’m really missing my stand mixer, it saves me from a lot of manual work.) Optionally, you can sprinkle the top with your favorite seeds before baking (I had very minimal ingredients on hand but that could be a nice touch). It’s delicious and keeps well for several days.

Buckwheat and Rice Bread

• 1 cup white rice flour (150g)

• 1+⅓ cups light buckwheat flour (150g)

• 1+⅓ cups cornstarch (150g)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons psyllium husk (16g)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 2 cups water (480ml)

• 2½ teaspoons dry yeast (8g)

• 1 tablespoon honey or sugar

Steps

1. Hydrate the psyllium by mixing all 16g of psyllium husk with half the water. Let it swell into a gel.

2. Activate the yeast by mixing the dry yeast with the remaining water and the honey. Let it rest for a few minutes, then add all the flours. Add the olive oil, baking soda, apple cider vinegar, salt, and psyllium gel. Mix slowly with a spoon until smooth.

3. Transfer the dough into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

4. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour.

5. Place the loaf in a preheated oven at 450°F (230°C), then lower to 210°C (410°F) and bake for 50 minutes.

6. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Despite these breathtaking views, I think I'm ready to go home. I always feel this way by the end of a holiday: equal parts sad it's over and excited to get back to my own kitchen. I can't wait to try all the new ingredients I found in the little local shops, and (fingers crossed temperatures will be lower) to finally turn the oven on again.

With love,
Marta