It’s difficult to find a bread that works well without salt and white flour (and doesn’t take an age!), but this recipe is a quick, easy solution for a nutrient-dense bread that works well fresh—and even better as toast. It’s quite a dense bread with the whole-wheat flour and seeds, so be sure to allow enough rising time.

3 cups bread flour (a good mix of whole wheat and other whole grains), plus more for dusting

2 teaspoons dry instant yeast

1 cup rolled oats

¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

¼ cup sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons flax seeds or sesame seeds

2 tablespoons date syrup

1½–2 cups warm water

optional: cornmeal for dusting pan

Topping:

1 tablespoon whole rolled oats

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon flax seeds or sesame seeds

1. In a large bowl, whisk flour, yeast, oats, and seeds together. Mix the date syrup and water together, and then pour over the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to gently mix until it is well combined, dry and shaggy. I always find you need to knead with your hands a bit at this point to work the gluten, and you may need to add a good amount of extra water until it forms a sticky ball.

2. Keep the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set on the counter at room temperature. Allow to rise for 3 hours; it should double in size and have lots of air bubbles.

3. Optional: If you have the time, pop the dough in the fridge and allow it to rest for as long as possible, up to 24 hours.
It may rise and then deflate; this is normal. (This step can be skipped.)

4. Dust a baking sheet with flour, and pop the dough ball on the sheet, being careful to handle it lightly and not deflate it too much. Shape into a ball. It should be quite sticky.

5. Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle on top of dough so they stick. Loosely cover and allow the dough to rest for a further 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C.

6. When ready to bake, use a very sharp knife to score the dough about ½-inch deep with a slash or X. If the dough flattened out during the 45 minutes, use floured hands to reshape. Place in the center of the preheated oven.

7. Bake for 40 minutes until the crust is golden brown or until it sounds hollow when tapped.

8. Remove and allow to cool for 10–20 minutes before slicing. Store in the fridge for up to 10 days.

9. Serving ideas: This is delicious served warm with hummus and freshly sliced tomato. Yum! The bread also works really well for crostini, so try slicing it into small, thin slices and toasting them on a sheet pan. Or, cut the bread into small chunks and toast them a bit more, and you’ve got croutons!

Chef’s Notes:

•   Depending on your climate, your flour, and your water, you may need to add more flour or water to get that wet, shaggy feel, perhaps more than you think. Baking bread is a feeling!

•   For a crispy crust, when you put the bread into the oven, pop a tray of water in, too, to create some steam.

•   You can mix up the seed topping with whatever seeds you have on hand.