Seeded Rustic Loaf

I make this with all white flour so the bread is soft and fluffy with the lovely crunch of the seeds.  You can use whatever seeds you like, I've used pumpkin and sunflower with the addition of poppy seeds.

Ingredients

500g Strong White Flour

1 heaped tspn Salt

1 tspn Sugar

330ml Warm Water

1 sachet (7g) Fast Action Dried Yeast

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Approx. 60g Mixed Seeds (your choice)

• Mix the salt into the flour in a large bowl.
• In a measuring jug, measure the water then add the sugar, yeast and olive oil.  Give it a good mix.
• Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the liquid mixing with a fork until it comes together.  Ditch the fork and start to work the dough with your hands to incorporate all the flour.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and start to knead, it will need about 10 minutes.  It will be quite sticky but keep working it, you can add some more flour if you're struggling but try not to add too much.
• When you have been kneading it for a good 10 minutes and it's a bouncy, very soft dough, put it back in the flour sprinkled bowl and leave to rise.  I like to give it at least 2 hours, the longer the proving, the better the flavour.  It doesn't really need covering.
• When you've got a well risen dough, tip it out of the bowl and knead it a bit to knock out the air.  Start to add the seeds, gradually as you knead so they get worked into the dough, remember to reserve some for the top of the loaf.
• Shape the dough into a round and put it onto a floured baking tray.  Sprinkle on the remainder of the seeds and put it aside to rise again, for about an hour, until doubled in size.
• Pre-heat the oven to about 220C and bake the bread for approximately 25 minutes or until browned and sounding hollow when tapped underneath.
• Transfer to a rack to cool completely.