Pane Italiano Recipes

TUSCAN BREAD {PANE TOSCANO}

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Add flour and knead into a ball. Place in a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and linen towel and let sit overnight.
• I like to do this step the night before I plan to bake the bread.
• The next morning the starter should have doubled or tripled in size.
• In a mixer bowl add starter, lukewarm water and flour. Using a dough hook attachment knead for about 10-15 minutes slowly increasing the speed.As a result you should get soft dough that easily comes together into a ball.
• Give the dough a round shape and place it in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel.Let rise for 1-2 hours or until it has triple in size.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Dust it with a little more flour.Using your fingers pat the dough down into a rectangular.Fold upper edges inside, then roll the dough into a loaf starting from the top.
• Transfer the loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.Score the loaf with a blade or a sharp knife and cover it with a linen towel to rise for the last time for about 30-40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450F.
• Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400F and bake for another 25-30 minutes.
• Let the bread cool on a cooling rack.

PANE CASSERECCIO RECIPE - ITALIAN COUNTRY BREAD

Steps:

• Create the biga preferment the day before. If using dried yeast follow the instructions below, otherwise, add the yeast to the water and whisk until it's dissolved. Add the biga flour and lightly mix with a dough scraper or your hands until it's incorporated which should take about 2 minutes. Cover, and leave at around 18-25C (64-77F) for 12-18 hours.
• The next day, weigh the ingredients. Add the biga to the water in a large mixing bowl. Now add all the ingredients, excluding the 2nd water and the olive oil, to the bowl or a dough mixer.
• Using a dough scraper (or your hand in a claw shape) in a circular motion, mix the dough to evenly distribute all the ingredients. After a minute or two, take the dough out of the bowl and stretch it slowly on a worktop. Continue this for 5 minutes. Return to the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a bag and place it in the fridge for 10 minutes Using a dough mixer: Mix for 6 minutes at a slow speed. The dough should feel soft and have visible long gluten but it wont be very strong.
• Take the dough back to the worktop and knead for 10 minutes. Start off slowly and gradually get more intense. the stretch, slap and fold technique shown in the video is preferred here. Cover again and place back in the fridge for another 10 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and knead fast for 7 minutes on the table. Put the dough back in the bowl and add the second water. Keep folding the dough into the water, it may take a while but it will absorb!. After the water is incorporated, add the olive oil with the same method and knead a couple of minutes more on the table. The dough should look smooth, even and strong.
• Put the dough back in the bowl, cover and take a temperature reading. If it's above 26C (79F) and it's warmer than this in the room, put it in the fridge for 1 hour. If it's cooler than this, leave it on the worktop for the same amount of time.
• Complete a stretch and fold, or simply knock back the dough and return to the bowl.
• Take a temperature check, if above 28C (82F) put it in the fridge, if it's under, the kitchen table is fine. Leave to rest, covered for another hour.
• Complete another stretch and fold or knock back, but this time flour the worktop before hand and after the stretch and fold, let the dough rest in a square shape on the table.
• Left to rest for 20 minutes on the worktop.
• Divide into two equal weights of 650g. Try to keep the square shape, so there is no need to mould. Just divide and position them onto a lightly dusted board or peel.
• Leave them to proof for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours. Preheat the oven with a baking stone and a lipped baking sheet below it to 250C (480F).
• Use the poke test to judge when they are ready to bake. When ready, transfer them onto a peel by sliding one underneath.
• Cut using a bakers lame with a square design, 2 inches away from the edge.
• Slide the loaves into the oven using the peel. Add a cup of hot water to the tray below to create steam (oven gloves should be worn to prevent burning yourself) and quickly shut the door. Turn down the temperature to 220C (430F) and bake for 35-40 minutes. Open the door after 20 minutes to release some of the steam.
• Once the bread has turned a nice light golden colour, use a peel to remove it and allow to cool. You can bake it for longer if you want deeper aromas.

THE ITALIAN BAKER'S PANE DI COMO RECIPE

Steps:

• Starter: Stir the yeast and malt, if you are using the syrup, into the water; let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and beat in the flour and malt powder, if you are using it, with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, about 100 strokes or until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until bubbly, at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.
• By Hand: Add the water to the starter; mix and squeeze it between your fingers until the starter is fairly well broken up. Mix the flour and salt together and add it, 2 cups at a time, into the starter mixer, stirring after each addition. When the dough is too stiff to mix with a wooden spoon, just plunge in with your hands. Mix until well blended, 4 to 5 minutes. Knead on a well-floured surface until elastic but still moist and tacky. Once it has come together nicely, slap it down vigorously on the work surface to develop the gluten.
• By Mixer: Mix the starter and the water with the paddle until the starter is well broken up. Add the flour and salt and mix for 2 to 3 minutes at low speed. The dough will be smooth but won't pull away from the sides of the bowl. Change to the dough hook and knead at medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the dough is elastic but still slightly sticky, 3 to 4 minutes. Finish kneading by hand on a floured work surface.
• By Processor: Refrigerate the starter until cold. Unless you have a large processor, make the dough in two batches. Place the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with the dough blade and process with several pulses to sift. Place the starter on top of the flour mixture. With the machine running, pour the 2 cups of cold water through the feed tube and process until the dough comes together and gathers in a small ball. Process 30 to 45 seconds longer to knead. Finish kneading on a well-floured surface with well-floured hands. The dough will be sticky and moist.
• First Rise: Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. The dough is ready when it is very bubbly and blistered.
• Shaping and Second Rise: Cut the dough in half on a floured surface and shape it into two round loaves. Place in oiled and floured 8-inch round bannetons or in baskets lined with generously floured kitchen towels. Cover with towels and let rise until fully doubled and risen to the tops of the bannetons, about 1 hour.
• Baking: Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven with a baking stone in it to 400oF. Just before baking, sprinkle the stone with cornmeal. Very carefully invert the loaves onto the stone and bake until the loaf sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped, about 1 hour. Cool on racks.

ITALIAN PANINI

Steps:

• Slice the bread in half horizontally and spread the cut-sides with the honey mustard. Build the sandwich by layering the bottom half of the loaf with half of the provolone, followed by the ham, turkey, salami and the remaining provolone (the provolone should be touching the bread on both sides, with the meat sandwiched in between). Cover with the top half of the loaf.
• Spread some of the butter on top of the loaf, then carefully flip over and butter the bottom. Slice into the desired number of sandwiches
• Heat a large two-burner grill pan over medium heat, or heat a panini maker. Add the sandwiches to the pan and cook, pressing down with a spatula, until the undersides are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes (see Cook's Note). Turn the sandwiches and continue to cook, pressing, until golden brown on the reverse side and the cheese is melted, another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer the panini to a cutting board and slice in half. Serve immediately.

PANE SICILIANO

Steps:

• Remove the pâte fermentée from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough to take off the chill. Cut it into about 10 small pieces with a pastry scraper or serrated knife. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour to take off the chill.
• Stir together the high-gluten flour, semolina flour, salt, and yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the pâte fermentée pieces, the oil, honey, and 1 1/4 cups water. Stir with a large spoon until the dough forms a ball (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment). If the dough seems too stiff, dribble in water 1 teaspoon at a time until all the flour is gathered and the dough feels soft and pliable. If the dough seems sticky don't worry; you can adjust the flour while kneading or mixing.
• Sprinkle bread flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and knead (or mix on medium-low speed with the dough hook). Add flour as needed, sprinkling in a small amount at a time to make a smooth dough that is tacky but not sticky and has the same pliability and suppleness as French bread dough. Knead for about 10 minutes (or for 6 to 8 minutes by machine). The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 58) and register 77° to 81°F. Form the dough into a ball, lightly oil a large bowl, and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Ferment at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
• Gently divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape as for baguettes (page 74), extending each piece to about 24 inches in length and taking care to degas the dough as little as possible. Then, working from each end simultaneously, coil the dough toward the center, forming an S shape (see image below). Line a sheet pan with baking parchment and sprinkle some semolina flour on the baking parchment. Place each loaf on the pan (or set up 1 loaf each on individual pans). Mist the loaves with water and sprinkle sesame seeds on the top of each loaf. Then mist the tops with vegetable spray oil and place the pan(s) in a food-grade plastic bag or loosely cover with plastic wrap.
• Place the pan(s) in the refrigerator overnight.
• The next day, remove the pan(s) from the refrigerator and determine whether the loaves have risen enough to bake or if they need additional proofing time. Gently poke the dough. If it springs back quickly, leave the pan(s) out, still covered, for a couple of hours, or until it wakes up and rises more. The dough should stay dimpled when poked, and the loaves should be nearly twice as large as when first shaped.
• Prepare the oven for hearth baking as described on pages 91-94, making sure to put an empty steam pan in place. You do not need a baking stone. Preheat the oven to 500°F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
• Uncover the bread dough and place the pan(s) in the oven. Pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan and close the door. After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls with water and close the door. Repeat twice more at 30-second intervals. After the final spray, lower the oven setting to 450°F and bake for about 15 minutes. If the loaves are touching, gently separate them. Rotate the pan(s) 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the loaves are a rich golden brown all over. If there are still light or white sections of the dough, extend the baking time for a few extra minutes to maximize color and flavor. The internal temperature of the bread should register 200° to 205°F.
• Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the loaves to a cooling rack. Cool for at least 45 minutes before serving. One way to slice this bread is to cut it lengthwise down the middle. Lay the cut side on the cutting board to stabilize the loaf, and then slice into 3/4-inch-thick slices across the width, either straight down or on a slight diagonal.
• Enriched, standard dough; indirect method; commercial yeast
• Day 1: 1 1/4 hours pâte fermentée
• Day 2: 1 hour to de-chill pâte fermentée; 12 to 15 minutes mixing; 3 hours fermentation, shaping, and panning
• Day 3: 0 to 2 hours proofing; 30 to 35 minutes baking
• This dough can be used for many purposes beyond the traditional S-shaped loaf. It can be used as a pizza dough (it makes enough for six 8-ounce pizza crusts), for small rolls of any shape, and is also great for breadsticks.
• The bread can, in theory, be baked on the same day that it is shaped, but the difference in flavor and texture is dramatic if it is held overnight in the refrigerator (retarding method), as advised in the instructions. The overnight step makes this a 3-day process, though the final day is simply to bake the bread. Those who tested this recipe say the results are worth the delayed gratification.
• Pane Siciliano %
• Pâte fermentée: 100%
• High-gluten flour: 50%
• Semolina flour: 50%
• Salt: 1.9%
• Instant yeast: .88%
• Olive oil: 6.3%
• Honey: 4.7%
• Water (approx.): 68.8%
• Total: 282.6%

GIULIANO BUGIALLI'S PANE TOSCANO

Steps:

• Make the sponge: Dissolve the yeast in the water in a small bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon.
• Place the one-half cup flour in a larger bowl, add the dissolved yeast and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated and a small ball of dough is formed. Sprinkle the additional tablespoon of flour over the ball of dough, then cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and put it in a warm place, away from drafts. Let stand until the sponge has doubled in size, about one hour.
• Make the dough: Arrange the six cups of flour in a mound on a clean work surface or pastry board and make a well in the middle. Place the sponge from the first rising in the well along with one-half cup of the lukewarm water. Carefully mix the water into the sponge with a wooden spoon.
• Add the remaining water and then, using your hands, gradually begin to mix in the flour from the rim of the well little by little. Keep mixing until all but four or five tablespoons of the flour are incorporated (about 15 minutes). Then begin to knead the dough with the palms of your hands until the dough is homogeneous and smooth, about 20 minutes. Mix the remaining flour into the dough if necessary to keep the dough from being sticky.
• Shape the loaf into a round or oval and place it on a floured cotton dish towel. Wrap the dough loosely in the towel and put it in a warm place away from drafts to stand until double in bulk, about one hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Be sure the bricks or tiles you are using are free of dust.
• As soon as the dough has doubled in size, carefully remove it from the towel and place it on the bricks in the oven. Bake the bread for 55 minutes. Do not open the oven for the first 30 minutes of baking.
• Remove the finished bread from the oven and place it on a board on one of its sides, so the air can circulate around it. Do not lay the bread flat. You may have to balance it in some manner. If you have one of those V-shaped racks used for roasting poultry, you can balance the bread in it for cooling. The bread must cool at least three hours before it is cut or broken for eating.