Entirely Remarkable Fermented Buckwheat Bread

I adapted this recipe from the NutriPlanet website, where you can learn a lot about buckwheat, a gluten-free, low-glycemic, high protein wonder food. Most interesting to me is that buckwheat isn't a wheat; it's the seed of a plant related to rhubarb. So it shouldn't even have the word 'wheat' in its name.

This gluten-free, flourless, no-knead, practically hands-off, one-bowl bread takes a couple of unattended days to soak and rise and one hour to cook. You can make it plain, or add a variety of different flavours to make it savoury, sweet, or crunchy.

The fermentation process is somewhat like making a quick sourdough that you don't need to keep and feed and take care of like a pet. The fermentation process also adds nutritional value.

This bread takes about 15 minutes of hands-on work. The rest of the time it is soaking (6-8 hours), rising (24-30 hours), and baking (1 hour). Start your fermented buckwheat bread in the evening, and it will be ready to eat about a day and a half later. For example, I began soaking the groats Wednesday evening before bed. On Friday afternoon I was enjoying a warm slice!

I have adapted this recipe to use cups instead of grams, and have changed the fermentation instructions based on the fact that my oven does not go below 175F, much too hot for the fermentation process (the original recipe says to ferment the bread in a 95F oven).

VERY IMPORTANT: Use raw Buckwheat Groats, not Buckwheat Kasha. Kasha is roasted and will not ferment. 

WHAT YOU NEED

• 3 1/2 cups raw buckwheat groats (not kasha)
• 1 1/3 cups water, plus more for soaking
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp honey, or brown rice syrup, agave syrup, or maple syrup

OPTIONAL: YOU CAN ALSO ADD COMBINATIONS LIKE THESE FOR FLAVOURS

• Seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame, poppy, chia) and chopped almonds
• Olives and oregano
• Sundried tomatoes and oregano
• Sesame seeds and oregano
• Walnuts, prunes, cinnamon
• Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oregano
• Raisins, cinnamon
• Poppy seeds, goji berries

	MAKE IT!! Soaking: 6-8 hours (suggest overnight) Rinse the groats, then soak them in water in a non-metal bowl.
	Drain and rinse well. Let the groats drain for 5 minutes or so.
	Put the groats in a blender with 1 1/3 cups water. You may have to do this in batches depending on your blender's capacity. Blend well until you have a creamy batter.
	Fermentation: 24-30 hours (estimated) Put into a NON-METAL bowl (use glass or plastic), cover with a clean dishtowel, and put in a warm place for 24 hours to allow it to rise and ferment.  Depending on how warm the environment is, it might take a little longer to really rise. I put mine in the warmest spot in my house, which is the bathroom cabinet, and at about 30 hours it looked ready to me.
	It's ready when it has risen significantly and there might be some cracks on the top of the batter. Don't worry if there is a bit of a crust on the top of the batter. It easily mixes in.
	Preheat the oven to 350F. Create your personalized bread! Add the salt, honey/syrup, plus any flavours or crunchy bits you want, to the batter. So far I have just used a combination of seeds and nuts, but am looking forward to trying the flavoured loaves. With a wooden spoon or some other NON METAL spoon mix gently, just until blended, so that you don't lose all the rising action.
	BAKE IT! 6.  Line a bread pan with parchment (not waxed) paper, spoon in the batter, and bake at 350F  for about an hour and ten minutes, or until the top is crispy brown and the bread in the cracks is dry and springs back when pressed.
	side note... Could clean-up be any simpler? One bowl, the blender, a spoon, a spatula, and the bread pan. No flour mess, no kneading, no nuthin'!
	HURRAH! It is risen!!
	Lookit that rise!!
	Slicing it When it's cool enough, after about 10 minutes, pull it out of the pan and let it rest on a paper towel on a rack for at least half an hour before slicing, to prevent the loaf from getting gummy. Storing it It is a moist bread, so thin slices are better. Toasting is great. Once it has fully cooled, wrap the loaf in a paper towel to soak up any additional moisture, then store the wrapped loaf in a plastic bag. Or if you aren't going to eat it all in the next couple of days, pre-slice then store in a plastic bag in the freezer. You can warm frozen slices in the oven or toast them as you want them.
	EATING IT!! Enjoy! This bread is a bit plain on its own but is a great base for anything you use bread for. It slices beautifully and is excellent with humus, or guacamole, as an open faced snack with tomatoes and avocado, or for use in sandwiches. Especially good toasted, with Cosmic Honey™!

I hope you enjoy this gorgeous, healthy Fermented Buckwheat Bread!

Next time: Breaded Sietan Nuggets!

Adventure!!