Baking Essentials Rustic Italian Bread Food

RUSTIC ITALIAN CRUSTY BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl or your kitchen aid mixer add the flour, salt and yeast. Use a spatula or the paddle attachment and mix to combine well.
• Pour in the warm water and keep mixing until everything is incorporated and a soft dough has formed. It will still stick to the bottom of the bowl and that is OK.
• Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap loosely and a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until doubled in size.
• Sprinkle some flour on your kitchen counter and dump the bread dough on it. Flour your hands to help it out of the bowl as it will be sticky. Don't panic, this is normal.
• With floured hands fold the dough onto itself forming it into a round ball. Do not knead it, do not handle it anymore than you need to. Use a sharp knife and lightly carve an X in the top of the loaf or just make a few cuts across.
• Place the bread dough on top of a lightly floured pizza peel, cardboard or parchment paper and allow it to rest while your oven is heating up.
• Preheat your oven to 450"F with a pizza stone inside for about 45 minutes before baking the bread. Fill an oven proof bowl with 2 inches of water and place it on the bottom rack. This will create the steam that will cause the crust to become crispy as it bakes.
• Once your oven is hot sprinkle the pizza stone with some semolina flour or corn meal and carefully slide the bread loaf on top. Bake the bread for about 30 to 45 minutes until golden brown all over and cooked through.
• Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and allow to cool off completely before slicing into it. You can also let it cool inside the oven with the door slightly open.

ULTIMATE RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• For the biga:.
• Combine the flour, yeast and water in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead on the slowest speed (stir for a KitchenAid), until it forms a shaggy dough, about 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer the biga to a medium bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until it begins to bubble and rise, about 3 hours.
• Refrigerate biga at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
• For the dough:.
• Remove the biga from the refrigerator and let stand at room temp while making the dough.
• To make the dough, combine flour, yeast, and water in bowl of the standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Knead the dough on lowest speed until rough dough is formed, about 3 minutes.
• Turn the mixer off and, without removing the dough hook or bowl from the mixer, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. (This allows protein in the dough to relax, making for a stronger dough that can rise higher, with a better crust.).
• Remove the plastic wrap over the dough, and add the biga and salt to bowl. Continue to knead on the lowest speed until ingredients are incorporated (dough should clear the sides of the bowl but should stick to the very bottom), about 4 minutes.
• Increase the mixer speed to low (speed 2 on a KitchenAid) and continue until the dough forms a more cohesive ball, about 1 minute.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl (at least 3 times the size of the dough) and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a cool, draft-free spot away from direct sunlight, until slightly risen and puffy, about 1 hour.
• Remove the plastic wrap and turn the dough by doing the following: lift the left third of the dough and fold inwards towards the center, then repeat with the right third of the dough, folding inwards toward the center. Then fold the dough in half from bottom to top (perpendicular to the first two folds).
• Replace the plastic wrap and let the dough rise 1 hour.
• Turn dough again, replace plastic wrap, and let dough rise 1 hour longer.
• Dust the work surface liberally with flour. Hold the bowl with the dough at an angle over the floured surface. Gently scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto the work surface (the side of the dough that was against bowl should now be facing up). If you want two smaller loaves, split the dough into two equal halves. Use a knife or bench scraper.
• Dust the dough and your hands liberally with flour and, using minimal pressure, push dough into a rough 8- to 10-inch square. If you are making two loaves, shape each piece into a smaller rectangle.
• Shape the dough by folding the upper left corner towards the center of the square dough, then the right corner towards the center. Next, roll the dough into a log from top to bottom and place it seam-side down onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Dust loaf liberally with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap; let loaf rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and place a baking stone on the rack. (I use a cast iron griddle flat side up.) Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. It's really important to preheat the pan in the oven to ensure even heat and optimal crust results.
• Using a single-edged razor blade, or sharp chef's knife, cut a slit 1/2 inch deep lengthwise along top of loaf, starting and stopping about 1 1/2 inches from the ends. Lightly spray the loaf with water. Slide parchment sheet with loaf onto baker's stone or cast iron griddle in the oven. If you are not using a baking stone or tile, simply place the loaf on a baking sheet in the oven.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and quickly spin loaf around half way using the edges of the parchment paper.
• Continue to bake until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. For one large loaf this will be about 35 minutes longer. For two smaller loaves this will be closer to 30 minutes.
• When the bread is done, transfer it to a wire rack and discard the parchment paper. If you'd like a butter crust, immediately wipe the end of a stick of butter over the crust until coated. Now the hardest part - cool the loaf to room temperature, about 2 hours.

BAKING ESSENTIALS: RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• There are several ways to make this bread, here are three possible methods:
• The Classic Fontana: This is the method my Aunt Josephine used, and the one that she taught me. It takes a bit of practice to master, but I find it relaxing, as well as a bit of a challenge. To use this method, pile up your dough on a clean, dry surface, and use your fist to punch a hole in the center... Think volcano, and you have a pretty good picture of what you have. Make sure to keep the walls of the flour thick. Now, add all your liquid ingredients into the hole (eggs, water, milk, proofed yeast, the lot), and use a fork to mix them all together. Then, use that fork to carefully pull flower from the walls into the liquid and mix... Just a bit at a time. I love making things like bread, and other baked goods using this method; however, it does take a bit of practice, because if you break through the wall, all of that liquid is going to spill out, and wind up on your work surface, and on the floor. And, I HATE it when that happens.
• The Cheating Fontana: Everything I mentioned for the Classic Fontana, works here except instead of placing the flour on a flat surface, you put it into a big bowl. So, if the flour wall breaks, the bowl will hold everything in. Cheating... Maybe. But it is a brilliant way to practice the Classic Fontana technique without making a mess of things.
• To my knowledge Aunt Josephine never used a stand mixer; however, that does not mean that you cannot. This is the method that we will be using.
• My Aunt always called the Classic Fontana method: Vesuvius, because she said that pile of flour always reminded her of Mount Vesuvius in Italy; the country where she was born.
• If you want to give the bread some added depth of flavor, try substituting part or all of the grapeseed oil with a good Italian extra virgin variety.
• Variation on a Theme If you want to have some fun, try this... Before adding the oil, place it into a saucepan over low heat. Then add some spices or herbs. For example, add some crushed garlic and let it sit in the warm oil for about 30 minutes, or some other spices... your favorite combination. Then, strain and allow to cool before using. It is great for infusing awesome flavors into your rustic breads. FYI: If you are using herbs, fresh are best.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• PROOF THE YEAST
• Add the sugar to the warm water, dissolve, then sprinkle the yeast over the top. In 5 - 10 minutes it should have a nice foam on the surface. If you do not see any foam, your yeast is dead. Give it a "proper" burial and get some fresher yeast.
• MAKE THE BREAD
• Add the hot water, sugar, salt, oil, and three cups of flour to a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook.
• Turn on slow and begin mixing, stopping once or twice, to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the proofed yeast, and another cup of the flour, set the mixer to low.
• Continue to mix and scrape, adding a bit of flour at a time, until the dough begins crawling up the hook.
• Place on a lightly floured surface, and knead, while adding a bit more flour, until it is still a bit sticky, but does not easily stick to your hands.
• Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover.
• Allow to rise till it doubles in size, about an hour.
• Remove from the bowl and knead for about a minute.
• Cut the dough in half.
• Roll out into logs about 12 inches (30.5cm) in length, or whatever shape you desire.
• Then put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a tea towel, and let rise for about 30 - 40 minutes.
• I am using a baking rack designed for baking loaves of bread.
• While the dough is rising, place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 400f (205c).
• You can use a sharp knife or lame to cut across the tops of the loaves, being careful not to deflate the dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 25 - 30 minutes.
• If you want a really crispy crust, use a spray bottle with water, and spray the sides of the hot oven 2 - 3 times during the baking process. The steam helps to crisp the bread.
• Allow the bread to cool before slicing.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Slice and serve with butter and preserves, or use to make your favorite sandwich. These work great for a meatball hoagie. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• BREAD MACHINE DIRECTIONS
• PLACE all ingredients except cornmeal and egg white in bread machine pan according to manufacturer's directions. Process on DOUGH setting.
• SPRINKLE ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. At end of dough cycle, remove dough from machine. Place on lightly floured surface. Punch down dough. (If dough is sticky, knead in additional flour before shaping.) Cover dough with clean cloth. Let rest for 15 minutes. Shape dough into baguette-shaped loaf about 12 inches long. Place loaf on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet. Cover. Let rise in warm place (80 degrees to 85 degrees F) for 20 to 25 minutes or until light and doubled in size.
• HEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Make 1 deep lengthwise slash with sharp knife in top of loaf. Brush loaf with egg white. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
• CONVENTIONAL OVEN METHOD
• SPOON flour lightly into measuring cup. Level off. Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl. Mix well. Add warm water and oil. Mix well. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough 10 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 degrees to 85 degrees F) for 30 to 40 minutes.
• SPRINKLE ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. Punch down dough. Cover dough with inverted bowl and allow to rest on counter 15 minutes. Shape dough into baguette-shaped loaf about 12 inches long. Place dough on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet. Cover. Let rise in warm place 35 to 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
• HEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Make 1 deep lengthwise slash with sharp knife in top of loaf. Brush loaf with egg white. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
• High Altitude (3500 ft.):
• No change.