I swore that if I failed to post at least one recipe for ramps this season, then I would deport myself to the nearest city with a Chinatown (because a Filipino needs a local source for patis – see blog name). Ramps are the stinky wild leeks after which Chicago was named after all.

The local food-obsessed (or is it food-obsessed locals?) go nuts over the pungent spring seasonals for its unusual blend of familiar flavors. The purplish white bulbs taste sharply of some sort of onion, garlic, and scallion mutant hybrid. The leaves have a peppery bite reminiscent of arugula, but spicier.

My neighbors probably hate me for stinking up the entire building the past few days but I’m okay with that. Ramps have cured my fear of purple and green foods.

A quick saute in the rendered fat of guanciale, Italian cured pork jowls, is my favorite way of preparing ramps. I remember Mario Batali talking about guanciale in an Iron Chef America battle. He had this cheesy look on his face as he whispered sweet-nothings about the Roman specialty, which naturally steered me into thoughts of illicit goings-on between Batali and his house-cured cheeks. With Batali’s o-face in mind, I tried browning a few ounces of guanciale to a crisp in its own fat, just to see what the big deal is. Let’s just say I’m never going back to bacon.

Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Mele Cotte

Sautéed Ramps in Guanciale

makes about 2 servings

Allium tricoccum.

Ingredients:

1 pound ramps, trimmed and cleaned
1/4 pound guanciale, small dice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)

Pork jowl sounds much cuter than pig face.

Notes:

• To trim and clean the ramps, cut off the root end and submerge in a large bowl of cold water to dislodge trapped dirt, changing the water as many times as necessary. Rub the stalks gently with your fingertips to remove a thin and slippery outer layer, much like cleaning scallions.
• The guanciale may be salty enough to season the ramps sufficiently.

Directions:

1. Slice the ramps where the stalks and leaves meet. The stalks will be cooked a few minutes ahead of time.
2. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, cook the guanciale until light brown and crisp.
3. Add the ramp stalks and cook for a few minutes, just until tender. Add the ramp leaves and cook for about a minute, just until wilted. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, if necessary.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Sautéed Ramps in Guanciale

Similar Posts:

1. Pickled Ramps, Japanese and Korean Flavors
2. Sautéed Morel Mushrooms and Fava Beans
3. Asparagus Soup with Cream
4. Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Sage
5. Simple Stir-Fry: Shanghai Bok Choy
6. Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Morel Mushrooms

Do you notice how these pane francese photos seem to be taken at a peculiar angle? How they show most of the loaf surface area but not quite the entire picture? There’s a reason for that. The hidden cropped areas is where the bread exploded like bats out of a cave.

The original recipe specifically advises against steaming and scoring the loaves. Doing either or both would’ve helped the loaves expand in a more controlled manner, but I’m not complaining. It still came out with a fairly open crumb somehow. These slices of toasted crispness and sour chewiness are just begging to be dipped in extra-virgin olive oil.

I went with the lengthier end of the suggested 2 to 3 hours for the final proof. I should’ve let the dough ferment for another hour or so, almost to the point of collapse and overproofing, to prevent said explosions. As with most recipes that rely on the unpredictability of sourdough, your mileage may vary.

By the way, if this post elicits that deja vu feeling (I can only hope that I have readers of the regular persuasion), I previously posted a more slender version of pane francese. I like to call it loaves of ciabatta in baguette form.

recipe adapted from Joe Ortiz’ The Village Baker via King Arthur Flour
Bread Baking Babes: Pane Francese Naturale hosted by Sara
Bake Your Own Bread

Pane Francese Naturale
Sourdough Italian-Style French Bread

makes two loaves

For the First-Stage Lievito Naturale / Sourdough Starter:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
lievito naturale / sourdough    1/4 cup           1.75          50
water, room temp                1/4 cup           2             57
unbleached bread flour          1/2 cup           2.25          64

First-Stage Lievito Naturale / Sourdough Starter Directions:

1. Cut the sourdough starter into small pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the water over the sourdough starter and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and mix until thoroughly hydrated. Knead for a few minutes until a smooth dough is formed.
2. Place the lievito naturale in a bowl and cover. Let stand at room temperature for about 5 to 6 hours or until doubled in size before using in the second stage.

Second stage sourdough starter cross-section.

For the Second-Stage Lievito Naturale / Sourdough Starter:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all of the first-stage lievito naturale
water, room temp                1/2 cup           4            113
unbleached bread flour        1 1/2 cups          6.75         191

Second-Stage Lievito Naturale / Sourdough Starter Directions:

1. Cut the sourdough starter into small pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the water over the sourdough starter and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and mix until thoroughly hydrated. Knead for a few minutes until a smooth dough is formed.
2. Place the lievito naturale in a bowl and cover. Let stand at room temperature for about 3 to 5 hours or until doubled in size before using in the final dough. The second-stage sourdough starter will be much stiffer than the first.

For the Final Sourdough:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all of the second-stage lievito naturale, cut into small pieces
water, room temp                3/4 cup           6            170
unbleached bread flour            2 cups          9            255
salt                              2 tsp           0.4           12

Directions:

Mix             In a large bowl, Pour the water over the lievito
                naturale pieces and stir to dissolve. Add the flour
                and salt. Mix until the dough is thoroughly hydrated
                and a shaggy ball is formed.

Rest            Cover the bowl and let stand for about 10 minutes.

Knead           8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and no
                longer sticky.

Bulk Ferment    8 to 10 hours at room temperature

Divide          2 pieces

Preshape        loose rounds

Rest            20 to 30 minutes

Shape           tight round or oval loaves



Preheat Oven    450ºF / 230ºC

Final Proof     2 to 4 hours at room temperature, or until about
                doubled in size

Bake            Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 450ºF / 230ºC, rotating
                the loaves halfway through baking if necessary.

Cool            Let the loaves cool completely at room temperature,
                at least 1 hour.

Sourdough Italian-style French bread crust and crumb. Exploded crust cropped just above the top border of the photo.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Sourdough Italian-Style French Bread

Similar Posts:

1. Pane Francese – Northern Italian French Bread
2. Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
3. Pane al Cioccolato – Italian Chocolate Bread
4. Sourdough Flaxseed Rye Bread – Leinsamenbrot
5. Peter Reinhart’s French Bread
6. Poilâne-Style High Extraction Miche

This month’s Bread Baking Day brings us starch-on-starch action by way of potatoes on pizza. If you cook Italian food every once in a while, you probably already have potatoes, rosemary, onions, and extra virgin olive oil ready to go.

There’s just one caveat — you’ll need an active liquid wild yeast starter for the biga naturale. Don’t have one? Replace it with 2 tablespoons of flour, a tablespoon of water, and a pinch of instant yeast and proceed as directed. Or just ignore the pizza dough recipe altogether and use your favorite focaccia recipe.

If you’ve read this far, you may also be interested in the following bread recipes:

• Panmarino – rosemary potato bread
• 100% whole grain rosemary potato bread

recipe adapted from Daniel Leader’s Local Breads
Bread Baking Day #17: Bread and Potatoes hosted by Notitie Van Lien

Pizza alle Patate di Genzano
Genzano Potato Pizza with Rosemary and Onions

makes one half-sheet pan pizza

Notes:

• I used King Arthur bread flour.

For the Biga Naturale / Wild Yeast Starter:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
liquid levain (100% hydration)                    1             28
water, at room temperature      2/3 cup         4.9            140
unbleached bread flour        1 2/3 cups        7.1            200

Biga Naturale / Wild Yeast Starter Directions:

1. In a bowl, pour the water over the liquid levain and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and mix until thoroughly hydrated. Knead for a few minutes until a smooth dough is formed.
2. Place the biga naturale in a bowl and cover. Let stand at room temperature for about 8 to 12 hours before using in the pizza dough.

For the Pizza Dough:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all of the biga naturale, cut into small pieces
water, at room temperature    1 3/4 cups         14.1          400
unbleached bread flour            4 cups         17.6          500
instant yeast                 1 1/4 tsp           0.1            4
salt                          2 1/2 tsp           0.5           15

Pizza Toppings:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
4 to 5 medium potatoes, thinly sliced (about 2 pounds / 900 grams)
1 medium onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Mix             In a large bowl, pour the water over the biga naturale
                and mix to dissolve. Add the flour, yeast, and salt
                and mix until a shaggy ball of dough is formed.

Rest            Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for about 15
                minutes.

Knead           8 to 10 minutes, until the flour is thoroughly hydrated
                and a smooth but slightly sticky dough is formed.

Ferment #1      90 minutes at room temperature, or until doubled

Stretch and Fold

Ferment #2      60 to 90 minutes at room temperature, or until doubled

Preheat Oven    500ºF / 260ºC

Prepare a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Shape           Grease the parchment-lined baking sheet with olive oil.
                Put the dough on the baking sheet. With lightly oiled
                fingertips, gently stretch the dough while dimpling to
                fill the baking sheet. Brush a thin layer of olive oil
                over the dough.

                If the pizza dough keeps shrinking back while shaping,
                let it rest for about 10 minutes to relax the gluten
                and try again.

Top             Layer the potato slices on the top of the dough and
                brush with a light coating of olive oil.

                Toss the onions, rosemary, and salt with 2 tablespoons
                of olive oil. Sprinkle over the dough evenly to finish.

Bake            Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 500ºF / 260ºC, until the
                crust is golden and the potatoes and onions are
                lightly browned.

Sliced rosemary potato pizza. Cheese anyone?

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Rosemary Potato Pizza

Similar Posts:

1. Rosemary Potato Bread
2. Whole Grain Rosemary Potato Bread
3. Pizza Napoletana Margherita – Neapolitan-Style Pizza
4. Potato, Cheddar Cheese, and Chive Bread
5. Hazelnut, Fig, Fennel Seed, and Rosemary Bread
6. Pane al Cioccolato – Italian Chocolate Bread

This five-grain walnut bread marks a year of bread baking with others equally passionate about the craft. Who knew that people actually took time to master a recipe, take photos, and share knowledge with like-minded folks? I’m now convinced that you can find anything on the interwebs.

What started off as an occasional substitution for rice has turned into a full-blown obsession. A quick review reveals that about one-third of my short history of blathering is bread-related. I learn something new with each post and yet I still don’t know how to pronounce Sûkerbôlle. Help?

As Tanna pointed out, this five-grain walnut bread is technically a four-grain. All-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, both milled from the same grain, somehow clocked in for two. The other flours are oat, rye, and brown rice. I replaced the oat flour with cornmeal for additional crunch here and there.

Slicing the freshly baked loaf releases a heady scent of toasted walnuts and grains. Even without additional fat or sugar, the bread seemed moist (probably because of the rye flour) and a bit sweet (probably from the brown rice).

recipe adapted from Carol Field’s The Italian Baker via My Kitchen in Half Cups
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Pane ai Cinque Cereali con Noci
Five-Grain Bread with Walnuts

makes two 9 x 5 inch loaves

Ingredients              Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose flour         3 3/4 cups         17.6          500
oat flour                 1 1/4 cups          4.4          125
rye flour          1 cup plus 2 tbsp          4.4          125
whole wheat flour  1 cup less 1 tbsp          4.4          125
brown rice flour            3/4 cup           4.4          125
salt                  1 heaping tbsp          0.7           20
instant yeast                 1 tbsp          0.3            9
water, room temperature   3 1/4 cups         26.0          737

walnuts, lightly toasted      3 cups         10.6          300

Notes:

• Try replacing any of the oat, rye, whole wheat, or brown rice flours with other grains or meals. Use a comparable amount by weight.  I used cornmeal instead of oat flour, hence, the yellow flecks in the crumb.

Special Equipment:

• two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans

Directions:

Mix             In a large bowl, whisk together all of the flours, salt,
                and yeast. Add the water and mix until a shaggy ball of
                dough is formed.

Knead           2 to 3 minutes, until the flour is thoroughly hydrated.
                The dough will be very sticky at this point.

Rest            Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let stand
                at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Knead           8 to 10 minutes, until a smooth and slightly sticky
                ball of dough is formed.

                Add the walnuts towards the end of kneading. Gently
                fold the dough over itself until the walnuts are
                evenly incorporated.

Bulk Ferment    60 minutes at room temperature, or until doubled in
                size

Divide          2 pieces

Rest            10 minutes

Shape           loaf pan shape, in a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan

Final Proof     45 to 60 minutes at room temperature, until about 1 1/2
                times its size

Score (optional)

Steam           1 cup of boiling water poured in a heavy steam pan
                (preferably cast iron)

Bake            Bake for 20 minutes at 400ºF / 205ºC. Rotate the loaves
                and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes. The loaf will
                register 205ºF / 91ºC in the center when done.

Cool            At least 1 hour

Five-Grain Walnut Bread Crumb.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Five-Grain Walnut Bread

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1. Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread – 100% Whole Wheat
2. Cranberry-Walnut Bread
3. Whole Grain Rosemary Potato Bread
4. Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread – 100% Whole Grain
5. Whole Grain Anadama Bread
6. Flaxseed and Oat Bran Broom Bread – 100% Whole Grain

Marcella Hazan reassures in her trademark impassioned tone, “Only an active campaign of sabotage could ruin it,” as if to say, “You can’t possibly screw this up, you donkey.” With that in mind, I’ve never had as much confidence in trying out a new recipe.

She insists on using Bosc or Anjou pears and singles out Bartlett pears as a mediocre choice. Even with that little tidbit, this pear tart recipe still ranks high on my list of Unfussy and Easy Recipes with High Payoff. It’s the first thing I think of whenever pears are in season.

Before baking, do top with the optional cloves, or failing that, maybe a cinnamon stick or two. The addition of whole spices adds so much with so little effort.

recipe adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

“A Farm Wife’s Fresh Pear Tart”

makes one 9-inch tart, about 6 servings

Bosc, Red Anjou, and Green Anjou Pears

Equipment:

a 9-inch round cake pan, greased with butter and dusted lightly with bread crumbs

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 pounds fresh pears, preferably Bosc or Anjou (about 5 to 6)

butter for dotting the tart
12 whole cloves (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
2. Peel the pears, cut in half lengthwise, and core to remove the seeds. Slice the pear halves into thin slivers.
3. Beat the eggs and milk in a bowl. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt and continue beating until well-blended.
4. Add the flour to the eggs and milk. Mix to form a thick cake batter.
5. Add the pears to the batter and mix gently until the slices are evenly coated. Deposit the batter in the greased and dusted cake pan.
6. Top evenly with small pieces of butter and whole cloves (if using).
7. Bake at 375ºF/190ºC for about 50 minutes, or until the top is well-browned.
8. Let the pear tart cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before unmolding.
9. Remove and discard the whole cloves (if using) before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Easy Pear Tart Recipe

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Not getting enough butternut in your risotto? Has this ever happened to you? (Warning: video contains choice words from British chef)

This basic butternut squash risotto recipe comes from a less disgruntled (gruntled?) British chef whose cooking style I really admire. The dish may be simple, but the garnish makes it a bit more interesting.

In addition to the chopped sage cooked slowly with the rice, whole sage leaves are quickly pan-fried and used as a seemingly out-of-place topping. Resist the urge to push the browned herbs to the side of the plate in favor of the bright orange morsels. The crispy sage leaves crumble and release a mellow smokiness that nicely complements the sweet butternut squash and creamy rice.

recipe adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Cookbook
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Diary of a Fanatic Foodie

Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Sage

makes 4 servings

Arborio rice and sage.

For the Butternut Squash Risotto:

2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade and lightly seasoned
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
a dozen fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
3/4 cup Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano rice, unwashed
8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/4-inch dice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Crispy Sage:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
a dozen fresh sage leaves

For Serving:

Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Notes:

• The cooking time will vary depending on the cooking vessel and type of rice you use.
• If short on stock and the rice is still not done to your liking, feel free to use boiling water instead of additional stock.

Instructions:

1. Heat the stock and keep at a gentle simmer over low heat.
2. In a separate heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook while stirring until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped sage leaves and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, taking care to keep the onions from browning.
3. Add the rice and stir until the grains are well-coated with the olive oil and the outer layers of the grain are slightly translucent.
4. Pour enough stock to barely cover the rice, about 1/2 cup. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon, wiping the sides and bottom of the pot clean while doing so, until the stock is fully absorbed.
5. Add the diced butternut squash along with another 1/2 cup of stock. Continue adding the stock in 1/2-cup increments and stirring as described above, until the butternut squash is soft and the rice is done to the desired level of doneness.

To Serve:

When the risotto is almost done, heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Fry the sage leaves quickly, about a few seconds, until dark brown and crispy.

Add the butter and stir until completely melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve immediately in wide platters and top with the crispy sage leaves, with cheese and a grater on the side.

Pan-fried crispy sage leaves.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Sage

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5. Ginataang Gulay – Vegetables Simmered in Coconut Milk
6. Hobakjuk – Korean Pumpkin Porridge

This is, without a doubt, the best recipe for pizza dough I’ve ever tried. Chilled flour, ice-cold water, salt, and a small amount of yeast are mixed together and immediately refrigerated in this unique method that draws out the complex flavors locked inside the flour. This delayed fermentation process is arguably the most important, and thankfully, also the easiest, technique in Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.

When flour is hydrated, starch is slowly broken down into simpler sugars. Since the dough is kept very cold and immediately refrigerated, the yeast falls asleep and doesn’t snack on these carbohydrates until removed from cold storage. Compared to dough developed using conventional methods, the result is a naturally sweeter dough courtesy of the larger reserve of fermentable sugars.

More carbs for the yeast. More carbs for you. Everybody’s happy. Until the yeast meets its end on a 600ºF baking stone, that is.

The Daring Bakers – Pizza Napoletana Dough
hosted by Rosa’s Yummy Yums

pizza dough recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

Pizza Napoletana Margherita
Neapolitan-Style Pizza with Buffalo Milk Mozzarella

For the Pizza Dough:

makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts

Ingredients              Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour, chilled      4 1/2 cups         20.25         574
sea salt                  1 3/4 tsp            .44          12
instant yeast                 1 tsp            .11           3
water, ice cold           1 3/4 cups         14            399

Notes:

• You can also substitute all-purpose or high-gluten flour to replace the bread flour. The ideal flour to use is Italian wheat flour type “00″ (doppio zero).
• Here’s a ridiculously detailed specification sheet for making authentic Pizza Napoletana. Very useful if you happen to have a wood-fired brick oven in your backyard.

Pizza Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the pizza dough ingredients until evenly
                incorporated

Knead           6 to 8 minutes

Rest            5 to 15 minutes

Knead           1 minute to further strengthen the gluten

Divide          6 equal pieces

Preshape        Shape each piece into a loose ball

In a sealable container, store the dough in the refrigerator at
least overnight, or keep for up to three days.

For the Pizza Margherita Toppings:

approximate amounts for each pizza crust

Because I take homemade pizza way too seriously.

fresh or canned plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, preferably San Marzano varietal
a pinch of sea salt
mozzarella cheese, preferably made with buffalo milk, about 3 to 4 ounces
extra virgin olive oil, about 1 to 2 teaspoons
fresh basil leaves, torn

cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting the pizza peel

Notes:

• Pizza Napoletana Margherita is traditionally baked with the basil on top, but I prefer to add the torn leaves immediately after pulling from the oven.
• When dusting the pizza peel, use more cornmeal or semolina flour than you think you’ll need. There’s nothing worse than stuck pizza dough.

To Bake and Assemble Pizza Napoletana Margherita:

Remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2
hours before baking.

Preheat Oven    Preheat to the maximum temperature, preferably with a
                baking stone. You can also use a heavy gauge sheet pan
                that won't warp at high temperatures.

Preshape        Preshape the pizza dough into a disk about 4 to 5
                inches wide.

Rest            About 15 minutes

Shape           Toss the pizza dough by bouncing it on your fists,
                until about 9 to 12 inches in diameter. It's a bit
                harder than it sounds and takes a bit of practice.
                The edges will be much thicker than the center.

The Tomatoes    In a spiraling motion from the center, apply a thin
                layer of tomatoes. Evenly distribute a pinch of sea salt
                over the tomatoes.

The Cheese      Spread about 3 to 4 ounces of sliced mozzarella over the
                tomato sauce. Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

Shake           Before loading the oven, make sure that the pizza
                is not stuck to the peel. Shake the pizza loose until
                it slides around freely.

Bake            Bake until slightly charred on the edges. It takes
                about 4 to 5 minutes when baked on a screaming hot
                baking stone in my oven. Your mileage may vary.

A bit overdone, maybe? I was kind of going for this look.

Serve           Sprinkle with the torn basil leaves and cut into 6 to 8
                pieces using a pizza cutter or large knife.

                Serve immediately.

Homemade Pizza Napoletana Margherita. Close enough for me.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pizza Napoletana Margherita – Neapolitan-Style Pizza

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2. Poilâne-Style High Extraction Miche
3. Sourdough Italian-Style French Bread
4. Rhubarb and Asparagus Top Chef Style
5. Pain à l’ancienne Baguettes
6. Rosemary Potato Bread

Pane Francese is the bastard lovechild of the baguette and the ciabatta, melding the best qualities of each iconic bread into rustic loaves. Shaped into long sticks like its French archetype, the crust-to-crumb ratio is maximized, making it a great accompaniment to rich soups and stews. The high hydration characteristic of the ciabatta, at 76% for all you bread nerds, gives pane Francese an airy crumb and irregular holes even with the addition of whole wheat flour.

While the pane Francese procedure of cutting dough into strips and stretching is less fussy than shaping traditional baguettes, the wet dough presents its own set of problems with handling and gluten development. Dough strength is achieved through a long fermentation time interspersed with stretching and folding, arguably the best technique to use for developing slack dough. Use small amounts of flour when stretching the dough on a counter, or better yet, watch Susan of Wild Yeast Blog do the same thing with less mess in a rectangular container.

Also known as pane di Como antico (Como bread of the past) in the Northern reaches of the boot, pane Francese exemplifies the shared borders and culinary traditions, with perhaps a bit of friendly rivalry, between France and Italy.

recipe adapted from Michel Suas’ Advanced Bread and Pastry
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Pane di Como Antico o Pane Francese
Como Bread of the Past, French Bread

makes 3 pane Francese

Pane Francese crust.

For the Poolish (Prefermented Dough):

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour                                       3.625        103
water, at room temperature                        3.625        103
instant yeast                   1/8 tsp

Mix the poolish ingredients until evenly distributed and place in a covered bowl.

Let stand at room temperature for about 12 to 16 hours before using in the final dough.

Final Dough Formula:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all of the poolish (prefermented dough)
bread flour                   2 2/3 cups         11.875        336
whole wheat flour               1/2 cup           2.375         67
water                         1 1/4 cups         10            284
instant yeast                   1/4 tsp
kosher salt                       2 tsp            .25           7

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the ingredients until evenly incorporated

Knead           6 to 8 minutes (the dough will be very sticky)

Ferment #1      60 minutes at room temperature

Stretch and Fold

Stretching and folding wet dough.

Step 1: Stretch into a rectangular shape.

Please…

…don’t…

…stick.

Ferment #2      60 minutes at room temperature

Stretch and Fold

Ferment #3      60 minutes at room temperature

Divide          3 pieces

Rest            15 minutes at room temperature

Shape           Stretch gently into strips, about 16 inches long

Preheat Oven    475ºF/246ºC

Final Proof     30 minutes at room temperature

Steam           1 cup of boiling water poured in a heavy steam
                pan (preferably cast iron)

Bake            Bake for 20 to 24 minutes at 475ºF/246ºC, rotating
                the loaves halfway if necessary.

Cool            At least 30 minutes

Pane Francese crumb.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pane Francese – Northern Italian French Bread

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1. Sourdough Italian-Style French Bread
2. Pane al Cioccolato – Italian Chocolate Bread
3. Peter Reinhart’s French Bread
4. Pompe à l’Huile – Sweet Olive Oil Bread
5. Anadama Bread
6. Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

No, I didn’t confuse my (non-existent) French and Italian. This formula for Italian ciabatta uses French terminology because it’s from Eric Kayser, well-renowned in Paris for his breads and pastries. In a city saturated with driven artisans dedicated to their craft, Maison Kayser still manages to consistently rank high among the best Parisian bakeries.

Even more impressive, for bread nerds like me at least, are his somewhat accessible bread formulas that share a common thread in liquid levain, wild yeast starter fed with equal weights water and flour. Used with commercial yeast to bring dough to life, the liquid starter also adds a very subtle acidity, a quality lacking in bread raised exclusively with commercial yeast.

After trying several ciabatta formulas, I can’t quite pinpoint why this method produces results better than the rest. All of the ciabatta formulas I tried had an airy interior but the most noticeable difference is the crust. It not so much crunches but shatters audibly as bitten, as opposed to the other formulas that yielded a slightly thicker and chewier crust.

recipe adapted from Eric Kayser
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Eric Kayser’s Ciabatta au Levain Liquide

makes 4 small ciabatta loaves

Notes:

• I used Bernard Clayton’s suggestion for approximating French T65 flour by using 3 parts all-purpose flour and 1 part bread flour. I used King Arthur Flour.
• Gentle handling is essential to get the characteristic irregular holes and open crumb of ciabatta.

For the Final Dough:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
liquid levain (100% hydration)                    5.3          150
all-purpose flour                                13.25         375
bread flour                                       4.4          125
water, at room temperature      350 ml
instant yeast                   1/4 tsp
sea salt                          2 tsp            .5           14

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the ingredients until evenly incorporated

Knead           10 to 12 minutes

Ferment #1      60 minutes at room temperature

Stretch and Fold

Ferment #2      60 minutes at room temperature

Divide          4 pieces

Rest            45 minutes at room temperature

Shape           Stretch gently into a rectangular shape

shaped ciabatta

Preheat Oven    500ºF/260ºC

Final Proof     45 minutes at room temperature

Steam           1 cup of boiling water poured in a heavy steam
                pan (preferably cast iron)

Bake            Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 500ºF/260ºC

Cool            At least 15 minutes

My attempt at Eric Kayser’s Baguettes Monge

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Eric Kayser’s Ciabatta au Levain Liquide

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I grinned like an idiot as I lifted the dark brown loaves from the charred baking stone with bare hands. The soft crust smiled back with its wide open slashes, a sight that every bread maker hopes for upon opening the oven door. It didn’t matter that my calloused fingertips started to burn or that hot air threatened to singe my eyebrows into an unnatural curl; the scent of steaming mugs of hot chocolate made the pain strangely comforting.

Half melted chocolate morsels that clung perilously to the crust instead of being safely nestled inside the warm loaf tempted me to pick on it. I decided to wait until the following morning, a cup of freshly brewed coffee in hand.

More importantly, I decided to wait until after taking photos.

If you read this far, two things may seem obvious: the coffee I’m having as I write this is really strong and this semisweet chocolate bread is pure bliss.

Click! Crusts hosted by Jugalbandi

recipe adapted from Michel Suas’ Advanced Bread and Pastry
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Pane al Cioccolato
Italian Chocolate Bread

makes two 375 gram / 13.25 ounce loaves

Chocolate chips and pane al cioccolato dough.

Notes:

• Knead the dough and develop the gluten thoroughly before adding the chocolate chips. Add it towards the final minute of kneading.

For the Biga Naturale / Wild Yeast Starter:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
starter (50% hydration)                           1             28
bread flour                     1/4 cup           1.125         32
water, at room temperature                         .625         18

Mix the biga naturale ingredients until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Place the biga naturale in a bowl and cover. Let the wild yeast starter ferment at room temperature for about 8 hours before using in the final dough.

Final Dough Formula:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all of the biga naturale, cut into small pieces
bread flour                       3 cups         13.875        393
water                         1 1/8 cups          8.75         248
honey                             4 tbsp          2.5           71
vanilla extract                   1 tbsp
cocoa powder                      4 tbsp           .875         25
instant yeast                   1/4 tsp
kosher salt                       1 tbsp           .375         10

chocolate chips                                   2.75          78
(added towards the end of kneading)

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the ingredients (except the chocolate
                chips) until evenly incorporated.

Knead           8 to 10 minutes

Rest            5 minutes

Knead           Add the chocolate chips and knead for about a
                minute or until the chocolate chips are thoroughly
                incorporated

Kneaded pane al cioccolato dough.

Bulk Ferment    2 hours at room temperature in a lightly oiled bowl

Divide          2 pieces, about 1 lb/454 grams each

Preshape        light ball

Divided and pre-shaped pane al cioccolato dough.

Rest            20 to 30 minutes

Shape           boule or batard

Final Proof     3 hours at room temperature

Preheat Oven    400ºF/204ºC

Score           2 to 3 slashes

Steam           1 cup of boiling water poured in a heavy steam
                pan (preferably cast iron)

Bake            Bake at 400ºF/204ºC for 20 minutes. Rotate the loaves
                if necessary and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool            At least 1 hour

I wonder how much Whole Foods would charge for this?

Pane al cioccolato crumb.

To Serve:

Serve during breakfast with coffee or milk or serve as a dessert with fresh fruits.

Do you still have some chocolate sauce left over from making eclairs? Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pane al Cioccolato – Italian Chocolate Bread

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