flipTraveler's Dark Bread with Fava Bean Flour
Traveler's Dark Bread with Fava Bean Flour
Why this dish? Calvin's life was a long exile: Noyon, Paris, then flight to Basel, Geneva, Strasbourg, and again Geneva. A man on the roads of the 16th century carried in his satchel a dense, rustic bread capable of lasting several days — dark bread reinforced with fava bean flour, nourishing and cheap, the true companion of the Reformer on his journey.
A dense, rustic bread mixing brown flour and fava bean flour, which satisfies for a long time and keeps for several days in a traveler's satchel.
I have known more roads than rest, driven from one city to another for the cause of the Gospel. On the road, there is no set table: one carries in one's satchel a dark bread, to which I like to add fava bean flour, which makes it firm and sustaining. Such bread does not flatter the palate, but it holds the body for three days, and that is all that is needed for one who walks for his God. Break off a piece, moisten it with a little water or watered wine, and give thanks: the pilgrim's bread is better than the meats of the sluggard.
- •Brown flour (lightly bolted wheat) — three parts (base)
- •Fava bean flour — one part (strength and nourishment)
- •Sourdough starter — a piece from the previous batch (leavening)
- •Salt — to taste (flavor and preservation)
- •Water — as needed (hydration)
Traveler's Dark Bread with Fava Bean Flour
A dense, rustic bread mixing brown flour and fava bean flour, which satisfies for a long time and keeps for several days in a traveler's satchel.
Why this dish? Calvin's life was a long exile: Noyon, Paris, then flight to Basel, Geneva, Strasbourg, and again Geneva. A man on the roads of the 16th century carried in his satchel a dense, rustic bread capable of lasting several days — dark bread reinforced with fava bean flour, nourishing and cheap, the true companion of the Reformer on his journey.
I have known more roads than rest, driven from one city to another for the cause of the Gospel. On the road, there is no set table: one carries in one's satchel a dark bread, to which I like to add fava bean flour, which makes it firm and sustaining. Such bread does not flatter the palate, but it holds the body for three days, and that is all that is needed for one who walks for his God. Break off a piece, moisten it with a little water or watered wine, and give thanks: the pilgrim's bread is better than the meats of the sluggard.
Ingredients (period version)
- Brown flour (lightly bolted wheat) — three parts (base)
- Fava bean flour — one part (strength and nourishment)
- Sourdough starter — a piece from the previous batch (leavening)
- Salt — to taste (flavor and preservation)
- Water — as needed (hydration)
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour (T110) — 375 g (base)
- Fava bean flour (or chickpea flour) — 125 g (strength and nourishment)
- Active sourdough starter — 100 g (or 5 g dry yeast) (leavening)
- Salt — 10 g (flavor and preservation)
- Warm water — 320 ml (hydration)
Method
- Mix the two flours and salt, add the starter dissolved in warm water, and knead for 10 min until a smooth dough forms.
- Cover and let rise for 3 to 4 hours (or until doubled) — the fava bean flour makes the rise a bit slower.
- Punch down, shape into a tight ball, place on a floured baking sheet, and let rise again for 1 to 2 hours.
- Score the top and bake at 230°C with a pan of water for steam, 40 to 45 min, until the crust is thick and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Let cool completely before wrapping in a cloth: it keeps and travels for several days.
How it was made : Dark bread (made from lightly bolted flour rich in bran) and legume breads were the daily fare of the lower classes and travelers. Dense and long-lasting, they were sometimes deliberately hardened (biscuit, from "bis-cuit" = twice-baked) for long journeys and sieges.
The contemporary twist : Sliced thin and toasted, this fava bean bread becomes a rustic base for a fresh cheese tartine — the hiker's snack of today.
Jean Calvin · Charactorium
