Ancient Roman Bread

2 pk Fast-rising dry yeast
2 1/2 c Tepid water
1 c Whole-wheat flour
1/2 c Rye flour
Unbleached white flour to make up 2 lbs. 3 oz. of total weight
1 ts Salt mixed with 1 tb Water
Cornmeal for baking sheets

Put the tepid water in your electric mixer bowl and dissolve the yeast. Use a paper lunch sack for weighing out the flour. Put the whole-wheat and rye flour in the bag first, and then make up the weight with the white flour. Put 4 cups from the bag into the mixer and whip it for 10 minutes. Add the salted water. If you have a KitchenAid, allow the dough hook to do the rest of the work. Otherwise, add remaining flour by hand. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Put the dough on a plastic counter and cover with an inverted steel bowl. Allow it to rise once, punch it down, and allow it to rise a second time. Punch down and form into 2 or 3 loaaves. I never use bread pans for this, as they will ruin the crust. Place the loaves on baking sheets that have been dusted with cornmeal and allow the loaves to rise until double in bulk. Bake in a 450 degree oven about 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the loaf light to the touch. It should make a hollow sound when you thump your finger on the bottom of the loaf.

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