WORLD BREAD DAY 2014 - PANE SICILIANO

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Zorra hosts the annual World Bread Day "to honor our daily bread" and show that baking bread can be easier than you think, and also great fun.

My contribution - I participate for the first time - is one of my all-time favorites: Pane Siciliano from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

One of the few all-white breads in my repertoire, I bake this often, my customers love it, and I always make some extra loaves for us.

Many Mediterranean countries have a tradition of sesame breads, like ring-shaped Turkish Simit - another favorite. Pane Siciliano, from Sicily, is rolled into an attractive S-shape.

Made with semolina flour, it has an extraordinary good taste, due to a preferment and a long rest overnight in the fridge.

The sesame topping provides an extra-nice crunch.

Pane Siciliano is no quick bread - plan ahead, start with the pâte fermentée 2 days before you plan to bake.

Fluffy inside and crunchy outside

BreadStorm user (also of the free version) can download the formula.

PANE SICILIANO  (adapted from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice)
(4 small breads) 

Pâte Fermentée
142 g/5 oz all-purpose flour
142 g/5 oz bread flour
5 g/0.18 oz salt
1 g/0.4 oz instant yeast
177 g/6.24 oz water

Final Dough
454 g/16 oz pâte fermentée (all)
227 g/8 oz semolina flour
227 g/8 oz bread flour
9 g/0.3 oz salt
3 g/0.1 oz instant yeast
29 g/1 oz olive oil
22 g/0.75 oz honey
235 g/8.3 oz water
10 g sesame seeds, for topping

DAY 1
For the pâte fermentée: mix all ingredients at low speed for 1 minute, until all flour is hydrated, then knead on medium speed for 4 minutes (the dough should be tacky, but not sticky, adjust with a bit more water or flour, if necessary (DDT: 77-81ºF/25-27ºC).

Pâte fermentée

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, roll it around to coat with oil, cover, and leave for 1 hour at room temperature, or until it has grown 1 1/2 times. Degas it lightly, and refrigerate it overnight (or up to 3 days).

DAY 2
Remove the pâte fermentée from the refrigerator 2 hours before using, to warm up. For an easier distribution in the final dough, cut it in several smaller pieces.

For an easier distribution in the dough, cut pâte fermentée in small pieces

Knead all dough ingredients at low speed for 1-2 minutes, until all flour is hydrated, then at medium speed for 6 minutes (DDT: 77-81ºF/25-27ºC). Like with baguettes, the dough should be supple, smooth, tacky, but not sticky. Adjust with a bit more water, if necessary (Beware: if the dough is too soft, the coils will be less distinct!)

Fermentation in square containers makes the shaping easier

Place the dough in an oiled container, turn around to coat with oil, cover, and leave it at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. (I like to divide the dough in 2 portions before the bulk fermentation.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it with semolina flour.

Divide dough in 4 equal portions

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape first into bâtards, then baguettes. Take each piece at both ends and extend it to about 61 cm/24" length (this should be easy).

Shape pieces first into bätards....

....then into baguettes

Working from both ends, coil each baguette to form an S (take care that the seam stays underneath!)

Coil baguettes from both ends into an S-shape

Place breads on the prepared sheet pan, mist them with water and sprinkle them with sesame seeds, gently pressing the seeds a bit down to attach to the dough. Spray with oil spray.

Place breads on the semolina sprinkled baking sheet

Put the baking sheet in a large plastic bag - like a clean, unscented garbage bag - and place the breads for a slow rise in the refrigerator overnight.

In the plastic bag they go, and then in the fridge

DAY 3
Remove breads from refrigerator 2 hours before baking - they should have doubled in volume, if not, let them rise a bit longer (finger poke test: a dimple shouldn't fill up again, but remain visible!)

Preheat oven to 500ºF/250ºC, including a steam pan (I use a large baking pan, placed on the highest, or lowest tier.)

Over night nicely risen

Place breads into the oven, pour a cup of boiling water in steam pan, and reduce temperature to 450ºF/220ºC.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove steam pan, and rotate baking sheet 180 degrees for even browning. (If some of the breads stick together, separate them now.)

Continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until breads are golden brown, and register  200-205ºF/93-96ºC on an instant thermometer. Let breads cool on a wire rack.

Pane Siciliano

STORAGE:
Pane Siciliano can be easily frozen, wrapped in plastic foil and placed in a freezer bag. To re-crisp, spray thawed loaf with water and bake for about 7-10 minutes in a 375ºF/190ºC oven.

My delivery basket: Pane Siciliano, multigrain pitas and rustic baguettes

Submitted to YeastSpotting

MULTIGRAIN PITAS - TASTY POCKETS

Multigrain Pitas and Pains a l'Ancienne - I bake them every week

You can find an updated and completely re-written version of this post here.















"Can you bake pitas, too?" Kathryn, the lovely owner of A&B Naturals, asked me one day. Their usual supplier wasn't available anymore. I had never made them, so I said with conviction: "Yes!"

At least I knew where I could find a pita recipe!

In "Whole Grain Breads", one of my favorite baking books, Peter Reinhart has a recipe for whole wheat pitas. And whole grains are just what my customers at A&B prefer.

I started my first pita dough. No big deal, until I got to the shaping part. The pitas had to be rolled out  no thinner than 1/4 inch (6 mm), and to an 8-inch (20 cm) diameter. But my pitas already reached this thickness at 6 1/2 to 7 inches (16 to 18 cm.)

A high oven temperature is key to a pita's proper horizontal separation into two layers. This high temperature has to be maintained during the whole bake, from below as well as from above.

Many cheaper ovens don't heat up to the necessary 550ºF (280ºC.) Without that boost pitas can't produce the large gas bubble that creates a pocket. And without a pocket - no delicious filling!

A baking stone, or a rack lined with unglazed terracotta tiles (like I have), works best for keeping the  temperature stable, even when the oven door has to be opened several time during the baking process. And very hot stones make the best baking surface for pitas, too.

To reheat fast enough after each opening of the door I remembered Peter Reinhart's advice for baking pizza ("American Pie"), where the problem is the same: intermittently switching the oven to broil for a short time.

How many pitas can you bake at the same time? One batch of dough makes 8 (or 6, if you want larger ones.) Peter Reinhart says one at a time, but, of course, being a semi-professional this time consuming process didn't appeal to me too much.

After some trials, I found that I can put two at the same time in the oven. That's the maximum, with more it becomes very difficult to get them in and out of the oven without damage, and to keep control over their baking process.

One or two pitas can be baked at the same time

Of course, it takes a little bit of experience to slide the pitas into the oven without them folding over in one place, and to extricate them without nicking them with the paddle.

But it's not rocket science, a smart child can do it: Little Josh, our carpenter's son, thought it more fun to help with baking than reading his book!

Josh has good reason to be proud!

Slow fermentation gives this pita its excellent taste. It also softens the 7-grain mixture I substitute for some of the whole wheat flour.

I add an overnight bulk rise in the fridge, this is more practical for my schedule and, in my opinion, also improves the taste even more.

Though I often reduce the sweetener in Peter Reinhart's recipes, this whole grain bread needs the full dose.

We like our pita filled with grilled Halloumi cheese, tomato and lettuce - the way we had it in Girne/Kyrenia on Cyprus.

And how do my customers at A&B Naturals like them? They fly off the shelf so that I have to bake them every week!


MULTIGRAIN PITA  (8)

Soaker
170 g whole wheat flour
  57 g multigrain mixture (mine is made with cracked rye, wheat, barley, corn and oats, flaxseed, and millet)
    4 g salt
170 g water

Biga
227 g whole wheat flour
    1 g instant yeast
170 g water

Final Dough
All soaker and biga  (cut in pieces, they blend easier into the dough)
113 g whole wheat flour
    5 g salt
    5 g instant yeast
  28 g honey or agave nectar
  14 g extra virgin olive oil

DAY 1:
In  the morning:
In a small bowl, stir together all soaker ingredients until everything is hydrated. Cover, and leave at room temperature.

Place all biga ingredients in mixer bowl. Mix at low speed for 1-2 minutes, until all flour is hydrated. (Or stir with wooden spoon) Knead at medium-low speed (or with hand) for 2 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then resume kneading for another 1 minute.

Place biga in oiled bowl, turn around to coat with oil, cover, and place in refrigerator (remove 2 hours before using.)

Evening:
Mix all final dough ingredients at low speed (or with hand) for 1-2 minutes, until combined. Knead at medium-low speed (or with hand) for 4 minutes (dough should be a bit tacky, but not sticky. If necessary, adjust with a little extra water or flour.)

Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead for 1 more minute. Transfer to oiled container, turn around to coat with oil, cover and place in refrigerator overnight. (Dough can be shaped cold the next morning.)

BAKING DAY:
Preheat oven as high as possible, at least to 550ºF (280ºC). Place baking stone in the upper third of oven.

Divide dough in 8 equal pieces (ca. 120 g), shape into rounds and place, seam side down, on parchment lined baking sheet or tray. Cover, and let proof for 45-60 minutes until rolls have grown to 1 1/2 times their original size.

Transfer rounds to floured work surface. Dust them well with whole wheat flour. With a few strokes, roll each piece to a 4-inch (10 cm) disk, and put them on a pile.

After all rolls are rolled out, turn pile around, so that the first disk is on top. Re-roll out disks so that they are 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick, with a diameter of 6-1/4 to 7 inches (16 -18 cm). Place (separately) on baking sheet or tray, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Switch oven to broil 5 minutes before baking, so that stone gets really hot. Sprinkle peel*) with a little flour (not much is needed since pitas are fairly dry.)

Place 1 or 2 pitas on peel, and slide them onto hot baking stone. Watch them through the oven window! They start building large bubbles, and puff up like a balloon after ca. 2 minutes. Now they need only 20 seconds more to be done (they should stay soft.) Remove them with peel, and let them cool on wire rack.

Repeat with remaining pitas, always waiting for the oven to reheat again (switch briefly to broil after taking one batch out, if this takes too long.)

*) A wooden peel works best for sliding pitas into oven, but a metal one works better to remove them quickly - it has a sharper edge.

Pitas deflate quickly, once they are out of the oven

 
To store:
Multigrain pitas keep fresh for several days in a plastic bag. Normally a taboo for every bread aficionado, this is necessary to keep them soft, and prevent them from drying out.

They also freeze well, individually wrapped in plastic foil, then placed in a ZipLock bag.

(This recipe is an adaptation of Whole Wheat Pitas from Peter Reinhart's "Whole Grain Breads".

Submitted to Yeast Spotting

EXTRAORDINARY MULTIGRAIN SANDWICH BREAD

Now and then I need some toasted bread. The supermarket varieties are, of course, off limits. A loaf that cowardly yields, without putting up any resistance to my probing finger, is not worthy of a Black Forrest ham or Fontina cheese topping. I want my toast to delicately soften a bit when I spread it with butter - not disintegrating into mash!

Even biting in a sandwich bread it's nice to find a little bit to chew on. A mix of flours and grains, like rolled oats, cornmeal and bran, also gives it a more complex flavor. And sesame seeds makes a topping that doesn't only look attractive, but, also,  adds a delicious crunchiness.

This is my take on Peter Reinhart's "Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire" from The Bread Baker's Apprentice), with some alterations and, I hope, improvements - a very tasty, "un-squishy" bread that really deserves the goodies I put on top - even if it's not toasted.


MULTIGRAIN SANDWICH BREAD  (adapted from Peter Reinhart: The Bread Baker's Apprentice)

Soaker
100 g/3.5 oz whole wheat flour
28 g/1 oz corn meal, coarse grind (Polenta)
28 g/1 oz bread flour
28 g/1 oz cooked brown rice
21 g/0.75 oz rolled oats
7 g/0.25 oz wheat or oat bran
4 g salt (1/2 tsp.)
113 g/4 oz buttermilk
28 g/1 oz water

Biga
227 g/8 oz bread flour
1 g instant yeast (1/4 tsp.)
142 g/5 oz water

Final Dough
all soaker and biga
28 g/1 oz bread flour
19 g/0.7 oz honey or brown sugar
7 g/0.25 oz salt
5 g/0.2 instant yeast

lightly beaten egg or egg white, for brushing
2 tsp. sesame seeds, for sprinkling


DAY 1
Morning:
Stir together all soaker ingredients, until all flour is hydrated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature.

In mixer bowl, stir together all biga ingredients at low speed (or with hand), until a coarse ball forms (1-2 minutes). Knead at medium-low speed (or with hand) for 2 minutes. Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then resume kneading for 1 more minute.

Transfer biga to a lightly oiled bowl, and roll it around to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and place into fridge (remove 2 hours before using, to warm up).

Evening:
Mix all ingredients for final dough at low speed for 1-2 minutes, until a coarse ball forms (if mixing by hand, cut starter and biga into 12 smaller pieces for easier distribution). Switch to medium-low speed and knead 4 minutes, adjusting with a little more flour, if needed (dough should be very tacky). Let dough rest for 5 minutes.

Resume kneading for 1 more minute (dough should be soft, supple and tacky, but not sticky). Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, rolling it around to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.


DAY 2
Remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours before using, to warm up.

Preheat oven to 425ºF/220ºC, including a steam pan. Transfer dough to a lightly floured counter, pat into a square and roll up to shape a sandwich loaf. Place in lightly oiled loaf pan, seam side down. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and score lengthwise.

Mist loaf with oil, cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel, and proof for about 45 - 60 minutes at room temperature, or until it has grown to 1 1/2 times its original size, and a dimple, made with your finger, comes back a little bit, but stays visible (finger poke test).

Place bread in oven, pour 1 cup of boiling water into steam pan, and reduce heat to 350ºF/175ºC. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate loaf 180 degrees, and continue baking for about 20 minutes more. Bread should register at least 195ºF/90ºC in center, and be golden brown.

Remove pan (loaf should sound hollow when thumped on bottom), and let cool on wire rack.

SAATKORN - MANY SEED BREAD WITH YEAST

SOAKER
170 g whole wheat flour
57 g rye flour
7 g flaxseeds
4 g salt
170 g water

FINAL DOUGH
all soaker
142 g water, more for adjustment
6 g instant yeast
227 g bread flour
57 g whole wheat flour
56 g sesame seeds
56 g sunflower seeds, toasted
56 g pumpkin seeds, toasted
5 g salt
19 g honey
egg wash
6 g sesame seeds, for topping


DAY 1

In the morning, prepare soaker.

In the evening, dissolve instant yeast in lukewarm water. Add to soaker and all other ingredients for final dough. Mix on low speed for 2 min, until all flour is hydrated. Let rest for 5 min.

Knead 2 min. on medium-low speed, adjust with water, if necessary (dough should be very supple and slightly sticky). Continue kneading for 4 min. more, switching to medium-high speed for last 20 sec. Dough should be still slightly sticky.

Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and stretch and fold 4 times, with 10 min rest after each folding (total time 40 min.). After last folding, place in lightly oiled bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

DAY 2

Remove dough from refrigerator and either de-chill for 2 hrs. before shaping, or shape into batard when still cold. Place on parchment lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame.

Score de-chilled dough at once; and cold dough after 1 1/2 hrs. (when turning on oven). Mist bread with spray oil, cover and let rise to 1 1/2 times its original size (45 - 60 min for de-chilled dough, 2 - 3 hrs for cold dough).

Preheat oven to 425 F, including steam pan. Bake bread 20 min. at 375 F (steaming with 1 cup hot water), rotate 180 degrees and continue baking for another 27 - 30 min. (internal temperature should be at least 200 F).

Cool on a wire rack.

Adapted from Peter Reinhart's "Whole Grain Breads".