flipMaslin Bread
Maslin Bread
Why this dish? Maslin bread — rye and wheat mixed — was the everyday bread of the poor in Essex, the bread Agnes baked or bought, which kept for several days and was dipped into pottage.
A dense, slightly sour loaf made from rye and wheat, leavened with sourdough. It keeps well and accompanies every meal.
White bread from the manor? Not for me! We make our bread of maslin, rye and wheat mixed, leavened with a bit of sour dough saved from the last batch. The crumb is brown and tight, but it keeps good for a week in the bread chest, and that's all we need for dipping in pottage. Knead it firm, let it rise near the hearth, and tap the crust: it should sound hollow.
- •Rye flour — two measures (rustic grain)
- •Wheat flour — one measure (binds the dough)
- •Sourdough (sour paste) — a handful (leavening and acidity)
- •Salt — a pinch (flavour and preservation)
- •Well water — as needed (hydration)
Maslin Bread
A dense, slightly sour loaf made from rye and wheat, leavened with sourdough. It keeps well and accompanies every meal.
Why this dish? Maslin bread — rye and wheat mixed — was the everyday bread of the poor in Essex, the bread Agnes baked or bought, which kept for several days and was dipped into pottage.
White bread from the manor? Not for me! We make our bread of maslin, rye and wheat mixed, leavened with a bit of sour dough saved from the last batch. The crumb is brown and tight, but it keeps good for a week in the bread chest, and that's all we need for dipping in pottage. Knead it firm, let it rise near the hearth, and tap the crust: it should sound hollow.
Ingredients (period version)
- Rye flour — two measures (rustic grain)
- Wheat flour — one measure (binds the dough)
- Sourdough (sour paste) — a handful (leavening and acidity)
- Salt — a pinch (flavour and preservation)
- Well water — as needed (hydration)
Ingredients
- Rye flour — 300 g (rustic grain)
- Wheat flour (T80) — 150 g (structure)
- Active sourdough starter — 100 g (natural leavening)
- Warm water — 300 ml (hydration)
- Salt — 8 g (flavour and preservation)
Method
- Mix the flours and salt. Dissolve the starter in warm water, pour over the flours.
- Knead for 10 min until a homogeneous, slightly sticky dough forms (rye remains dense).
- Cover and let rise for 3 to 4 hours near a gentle heat source, until the dough puffs up.
- Shape into a tight ball, place on a floured baking sheet, let proof for another hour.
- Bake in a very hot oven (230 °C) for 15 min, then 25 min at 200 °C. The crust should sound hollow when tapped. Cool before slicing.
How it was made : 'Maslin' refers to a mixture of rye and wheat sown and ground together. It was baked in the village communal oven or the family bread oven once a week; its density and sourdough acidity made it last several days, a precious commodity for people without reserves.
The contemporary twist : Toast a slice, rub it with new garlic and oil: the 'witch's toast' that revives an ancient bread.
Sources : C. Anne Wilson, Food and Drink in Britain (1973) · Peter Brears, Cooking and Dining in Tudor and Early Stuart England (2015)
Agnes Waterhouse · Charactorium
