Pa de Pages

October 01, 2026

Pa de Pages

Welcome to another step-by-step recipe from BreadClub20. Why not drop by our main Facebook page by clicking here.... If you like what you see and enjoy the recipe, we hope you join us by 'Liking' and 'Subscribing'.

Pa de Pagès - a country bread from Catalonia, Spain. Pagès is the Catalan word for 'peasant' or 'farmer', so it's Country Bread...or Farmer's Bread.

It's a hearty bread...typical of the family bread that was required by Calatalan peasant families who often made 500 gms to several-kilogram loaves that would keep edible, soft and fresh for several days. The thick, robust crust would protect the crumb from going stale too quickly. As it firmed up, it became ideal for rubbing with fresh tomatoes, a little olive oil and garlic - yesterday's bread becomes a fresh staple for the rest of the week.

The Pa de Pagès is protected by IGP status. It's made to be round, rustic and with a thick caramelised crust. Inside, it's an irregular crumb that's ideal for rubbing it with pa amb tomàquet (the combination of tomato, garlic, sea salt and olive oil)

Traditionally, it is made using a small amount of preferment or old dough (masa madre de cultivo)

INGREDIENTS

This recipe makes one large loaf

The Night Before:

Make the Preferment-

100 gms strong white bread flour
50 gms cold water
5 gms active sourdough starter OR a tiny pinch of dried yeast

Mix together, cover and leave for 10 - 12 hours until it has fermented.

The Next Day:

All of the Preferment
400 gms strong white bread flour
75 gms wholegrain/wholewheat strong bread flour
325 gms lukewarm water
10 gms fine sea salt
10 gms active sourdough OR 1 gms active dried yeast (sourdough starter will be slower to respond than the instant 'spike' of commercial yeast, but give it time!)

METHOD

1. Tear the preferment into the warm water and add the starter (or dried yeast)

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flours and the salt together.

3. Add the liquid mixture and mix thoroughly.

4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead for 12 - 15 minutes until you have a soft and silky dough,

5. Shape the dough into a smooth ball. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave at room temperature (preferably a warm room) until it has doubled in volume. This may take 3 - 5 hours, depending on temperature. It will be light and airy and will have clearly risen.

Note: It'll take as long as it takes......watch the dough, not the clock!

6. When ready, gently turn it out onto a floured board, protecting the air within the dough. Pre-shape into a boule to build up slight surface tension.

7. Cover it in a tea towel and leave for about 15 minutes to relax the gluten

8. Now shape once again and place in either a well-floured round banneton or a bowl lined with a well-floured cloth. Place it so that the seam side is at the bottom of the basket and the smooth side is uppermost. When you tip it out onto the parchment paper, the seam side will then be uppermost and allow for the natural rupture in the oven as it bakes. Cover and leave at room temperature for about 60 - 90 minutes. The photographs below will give you an idea of final fermentation growth.

9. Preheat the oven and baking sheet (tray) to 240⁰C (465⁰F) and add a tray of hot water for steam.

10. Gently tip the dough out onto a sheet of parchment. There is no need to score this bread. Authentic pa de pagès are not scored. They rely on a natural rupture during baking.

11. Bake for 15 minutes with steam. Then, lower the temperature (210⁰C / 415⁰F) , remove the water tray and continue baking for a further 35 - 40 minutes or until the crust is a deep mahogany brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.