Dan Lepard's cider rye loaf recipe

A very easy 100% rye recipe, ­unusual in that you don't preheat the oven and that the dough is baked in a lidded pot. For the overnight mixture 200g dry cider 1 tsp cider vinegar 1 tsp dry instant yeast 150g rye flour For the dough 150ml warm water 1½ tsp salt 300g rye flour, plus a little extra for shaping The night before, mix the cider, ­vinegar, yeast and 150g of rye flour in a bowl, cover with a cloth and leave until the next day. The following day, stir in the warm water and salt, add 300g of rye flour, mix to a smooth, firm paste, then set aside for 30 minutes to rest. Scrape the dough on to a floured patch of worktop, pat into a smooth ball – not too flat, mind, because it spreads during baking – and sit it in the middle of a large sheet of non-stick baking paper. Cut a cross in the top of the dough, then lift the dough, paper and all, and lower it into a suitably sized ­ovenproof pot. Leave for two hours to rise. Pop the lid on the pot (or cover with foil) and place in a cold oven.Turn the oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6, bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid (or foil) and bake for 15 minutes more. danlepard.com/guardian