Anyone who has lived in or traveled to France or Italy has experience the wonderful bread which is their staple. Its is crusty and crunchy on the surface, and the interior has large holes, is translucent and yellowish, and is chewy so that you know you are eating food! During a sabbatical in a rural neighborhood near Naples, Italy (on Via Romano), this bread was not only the staple in the local bakery, but also baked by our friend Louisa in the out door wood fired brick oven of the extended family which which we lived. This is our personal experience with "Peasant Bread:" Pane Rustica. For us, the name, deceptively modest, elevates the bread to a level worthy of wonder and respect, for making it is the practical art evolved from many centuries by people who have lived close to the earth, and developed extrordinary culinary skills.
Since posting this page in 2006, I have developed a whole wheat/unbleached hybrid version of this delicious bread. Look at the bottom of this page for that healthful modification of the recipe.
| EQUIPMENT | SUPPLIES |
| 1 gallon pot or mixing bowl with
cover
measuring cups (one pint and one quart) measuring spoons (1/4 and 1 teaspoons) whisk dish towel, non-terry cloth heavy 1-2 gallon covered cast iron pot (Dutch oven) cooling rack |
3 cups white enriched flour
(after you make it once, try 1:1 whole wheat + white)
1 1/2 cups fresh water, warmed to 75 F 1 to 1 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt 1/4 teaspoon active yeast additional flour for dusting dough and cloth (or cornmeal) |
| In a 3 quart stainless bowl,
dissolve 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt in 20 ounces of fresh cool water,
warm to 37 C. |
|
| Take 1/4th cup of the warmed 37
C water and suspend 1/4 teaspoon each of baker's yeast and sugar.
Suspend, let sit for 15 minutes to proof it (It should bubble up a bit.) |
|
| Combine the proofed yeast with
the rest of the warmed water. |
|
| Sift 2 1/2 cups of unbleached
white flour onto the warmed water, whisk until thoroughly blended. |
|
| Sift in 2 cups of whole wheat
flour, a bit at a time, whisking in to blend into the dough until it is
all incorporated. |
|
| Use a large rubber spatula to
scrape the sides down, turn the wet dough over several times. |
|
| Cover the bowl with a lid, let
set in a warm place overnight. |
|
| The next morning, turn out the
bubbly wet dough onto a well floured surface. Gently fold over
several times (no more than five). |
|
| Cover with a large bowl, let
rest 15 minutes. |
|
| Liberally sprinkle a white
muslin dish towel with cornmeal. Dust the dough with
cornmeal. Transfer the dough to the prepared towel. |
|
| Fold the corners of the towel
over the dough, let rise for about 2 hours, until doubled in size, and
it does not spring back when pressed with a finger. |
|
| Place a dutch oven and its lid
in a cold oven, turn on and preheat the oven to 450 F. |
|
| CAUTION: After 10-15
minutes of heating in the oven, remove the HOT dutch oven to a folded
towel or hot pad. With hands under and supporting the raised
dough, turn it into the HOT dutch oven. Shake gently to even out
if it did not plop down evenly. Cover with the HOT lid. |
|
| Place the dutch oven back in the
450 F oven, bake for 30 minutes with
the lid on. |
|
| After 30 minutes, remove the
lid, continue baking at 450 F for 15 minutes. (The bread should
look nicely risen, but pale.) |
|
| Bake for 15 more minutes without
the lid. Remove the bread from the oven, turn out on a cooling
rack. Cut off the end, slather with cold butter and swoon from
the taste... |
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