Walnut Pancetta Bread

This is a great bread to make when you are serving a hearty stew, a delicious pasta dish or any other dish when you want a bread that has “stuff” in it! It is full of pancetta and toasted walnuts, it tastes really good toasted as well. It would go with eggs for breakfast, maybe even chipped beef with toast. I love this bread and I hope you will try it!

2 1/2 cups warm water, divided
1 tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon yeast
3 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cubed pancetta( I found it in a small pack, already cubed)
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (I toasted walnut pieces)

Toast your walnuts and set them aside to cool.

Now add 1 1/2 cups of the warm water, 1 tablespoons honey and the yeast. Mix together and let sit for 10 minutes till it starts to get foamy.

When the mixture is foamy add the flours , the remaining 1 cup water and the salt, now mix well. (if the mixture is too dry, add a little bit more water, too wet, add a little bit more flour. Mine was a little dry so I added about 1/4 cup water. Just feel the dough and it will tell you if it needs water or flour)

Need for about 7 minutes with your dough hook, or on the counter if you don’t have a dough hook on your mixer.

Now add the pancetta and the toasted walnuts and mix for a minute or so.

Now place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turn the dough over to get oil on all sides.

Now set your bowl of dough in a warm place and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise for about 2 hours till doubled.

Now when risen poke your 2 fingers into the dough, it should leave 2 holes like shown above.

Now dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it out into a rectangle. Use your pans to get the proper length.

Now roll up the dough, then cut it in half and place each half into your sprayed pan.

Now set them in a warm place and cover with your tea towel, let it rise about 45

minutes to an hour.

Heat your oven to 375* while the loaves are rising

Lightly dust your loaves with flour then make 3 slices across the tops on the diagonal

Now place the risen loaves into a hot oven

Now bake for about 35 minutes, then use your instant read thermometer to test the internal temperature, which should be 200*. Bake for a few more minutes till it reaches 200*.

Now remove from the oven, remove from the pans and set on a cooling rack.

Brush the tops with butter, it helps keep the crust a little softer. (this is a crusty loaf and the butter makes a big difference)