Dan Lepard's seeded rye and wheat loaf

Like a blond pumpernickel, this loaf is loaded with texture. Keeping the water content on the low side keeps the crumb very firm, making it perfect for slicing thinly and serving Scandinavian-style with smoked fish (a Norfolk bloater is ideal), cold butter and pickles. The dominant flour here is stoneground rye, which gives the bread a grassy flavour and a greenish hue. You can buy traditionally milled rye flour from Little Salkeld Watermill in Cumbria, Bacheldre Watermill in Powys and the Mount Pleasant Windmill in Lincolnshire, but it's a standard flour that similar traditional millers will also sell, so it's worth checking with your local one before heading down the mail-order route. Sun & Seed produce a very good pumpkin seed oil, but use whatever type you prefer.

100g each linseed, pumpkin and sunflower seeds
About 300ml warm water
50g soft dark brown sugar
2 tsp fast-action yeast
25ml pumpkin or sunflower oil
250g stoneground rye flour
75g wholemeal or spelt flour
75g strong white flour
1 tsp salt

Toast the mixed seeds for 15 minutes at 180C (160C fan-assisted)/350F/gas mark 4, then leave them to cool. Set aside a handful, and put the rest of the seeds in a bowl along with the water, sugar and yeast. Leave for a few minutes, then add the oil, flours and salt, and mix it into a firm dough, adding a dash more water if needed. Leave for 10 minutes, then lightly knead for 10 seconds. Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave for 45 minutes.

Line the base and sides of a large, oblong bread tin with nonstick paper. Shape the dough into a fat sausage more or less the same length as the tin, then squash it firmly in. Brush the top with water, sprinkle on the reserved seeds, cover and leave until risen by just a quarter – you want only a slight rise; any more, and the bread will crumble when it's sliced.

Bake at 200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6) for about 45 minutes, then remove from the tin, cover with a cloth and leave to cool. Wrap well in paper and leave until the next day before slicing.danlepard.com/guardian