The Fresh Loaf

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Italian Sourdough with Bacon

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Italian Sourdough with Bacon

I wanted to make a bread to bring into my new office and my wife had just cooked some bacon for our grilled cheese with bacon sandwiches so naturally I needed to use the left-overs in a bread.  I started out with the Italian Country Bread from Peter Reinhart's BBA book and changed most of the ingredients while adding a few additional as well.

I used my AP starter instead of a biga and I added some maple syrup instead of sugar.  The combination of flours I used along with some cracked wheat and wheat germ turned this into a great rustic bread with a nice chewy crust and open crumb.

My only regret is I didn't double the recipe so I had an extra loaf for myself.  The new office crowd devoured it and commented that I was welcome to bring in additional bread whenever I visited.

Ingredients

453 grams 65% Hydration Starter Refreshed

84 grams First Clear Flour

84 grams Sir Lancelot High Gluten Flour (KAF)

84 grams Durum Flour

28 grams European Style Flour (KAF)

28 grams Potato Flour

24 grams Wheat Germ

16 grams Cracked Wheat

18 grams Olive Oil

18 grams Maple Syrup

226 grams Water at room temperature

11 grams Sea Salt or Table Salt

36 grams Chopped Cooked Bacon (feel free to add more if desired)

Directions

Using your stand mixer or by hand, mix the flours and cracked wheat and wheat germ together with the water and maple syrup for 1 minute just until it starts to come together.  Let the dough autolyse for 20 minutes to an hour.  This will let the flour absorb the water.

Next, add the starter by breaking it up into pieces and mix along with the salt for 3 minutes.  After 3 minutes add the bacon to incorporate it into the dough and mix for 1 more minute.  You should end up with a slightly sticky ball of dough that has started to become smooth.

Remove dough to your lightly floured work surface and need for 1 minute and form a ball.

Leave uncovered for 10 minutes.

Do a stretch and fold and form into a ball again and cover with a clean moist cloth or oiled plastic wrap.

After another 10 minutes do another stretch and fold and put into a lightly oiled bowl that has enough room so the dough can double overnight.

Leave the covered dough in your bowl at room temperature for 2 hours and then put it in your refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days.

When ready to bake the bread, take the bowl out of your refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours.  After 2 hours shape the dough as desired being careful not to handle the dough too roughly so you don't de-gas it.  Place it in your bowl, banneton or shape into baguettes.

Let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours covered with oiled plastic wrap or a wet cloth.

Pre-heat oven with baking stone (I use one on bottom and one on top shelf of my oven), to 500 degrees F.

Slash loaves as desired and place empty pan in bottom shelf of oven.

Pour 1 cup of very hot water into pan and place loaves into oven.

Lower oven to 450 Degrees and bake for 25 - 35 minutes until bread is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200 degrees.

Let cool on cooling rack for at least 2 hours and enjoy!

I think I have a ghost in my house...or a hungry cat!
Crust and Crumb came out very tasty

 

Comments

weavershouse's picture
weavershouse

And it must be delicious....I will add to the really long "To Do" list.

weavershouse

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks.  I hope you get a chance to try it.

regards

ian

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

a fine tasting bread Ian.  It doesn't look like it but it must have been a little dry with no water in it  at all :-) 

It is the kind of bread I like to eat but just can't anymore due to personal health reasons. Still I would be tempted anyway and would have to at least taste it !  Really like the crescent scoring too.

Glad your new co-workers like it and want more.  Now you will have to double all the recipes when you go to the office.

Nice baking Ian!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks DA....you're right this one was not a very high hydration which is very unlike most of my bakes.  I'll save you a slice next time!  I'm sure one wouldn't kill you....

I'm working on some rye concoction now.

Best.
Ian

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

water in the ingredient list just the 65% hydration starter?  It may be a low hydration but no water is Arizona desert hydration :-)   Sorry miss-read your post several times and didnlt see the 226 g of water every time.  Now it makes sense.   

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I was starting to think you we're hitting the Limencello :).

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

age and failing eyesight :-)

varda's picture
varda

and particularly love the scoring.   Will have to try that.    Interesting (and long) list of flours.  -Varda

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks Varda.

I have too many flours to play with like a kid in a candy store.  

Regards

Ian

 

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Oh man.  Ian, you're killing me.  Now I HAVE to do that.  It reminds me of how my grandma used to put fried pork fat rinds crumbled into biscuits.

I want a slice of that bread now - nay, the whole loaf and shove it down my gullet.

Way to go :)

John

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks John,
You know what they say....everything goes better with bacon....or at least that's what I say!

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Ian,

I love the scoring on this loaf and the crust color is sooo nice.  Must be the influence of the bacon :-)

I hear you on having too many flours/grains to play work with.  One way I simplified things was to purchase a 7 grain mix so all I have to do is use a bit of that and it is all stored in one container :-)....but I still have a list of basic grains....and it isn't short.  Just added einhorn last week...couldn't resist...

Great way to enter a new office by the way!  

Take Care,

Janet

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks Janet....I actually have some of the multi-grain mix as well. I am always looking for new grains and flours. Can never have too many in my humble opinion :).

Thanks again for your feedback.
Regards
Ian

chefscook's picture
chefscook

I would make this beautiful bread but don't 

understand grams can you please change to Tablespoons,teaspoons & cups would appriciate it.                                                            

                          thank you

                             chefscook

     

chefscook's picture
chefscook

I would make this beautiful bread but don't 

understand grams can you please change to Tablespoons,teaspoons & cups would appriciate it.                                                            

                          thank you

                             chefscook

     

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Chefscook.  I would highly recomend you get a kitchen scale and start measuring your bread ingredients by weight and not by volume.  I used to measure by volume and would always wonder why my breads came out nothing like what they were supposed to.  Got a kitchen scale, now my breads turn out nicely.

There are some online conversion tools that convert the weights to volume for you.  Example:

http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight_volume_cooking.htm

Good luck.

John

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I agree with John.  If you want consistency with baking you need to weigh all the ingedients.  You can buy an inexpensive scale at Wal-mart or Target and it will be worth every penny.

Regards,
Ian

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Here in Canada I got one from Walmart for $13.00.  I'm sure you can get them even cheaper in the states.  The prices of some things my parents tell me in Arizona shock me.  So much more affordable.

John

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

price of food at the grocery stores that is unbelievable in Phoenix - lowest prices in the country by far.  Shop at Wal-Mart - so much the better.  You can eat like a King for the price of a pauper :-)

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

From what I hear, food, alcohol, groceries and furniture.  I am sure the list would go on, but that's all I heard so far.

Here in Vancouver, a 6 pack of typical beer is $11.00.  $13.00 for a microbrew or import.  We pay a stupid amount of tax on alcohol.

John

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

at Hatchet Lake up by the Arctic circle in Saskatchewan, about 7 miles south, we really load up on the whiskys for the week long trip because hooch is crazy taxed in Canada.

At least you guys fixed your fiscal cliff a few years ago by cutting 8 government spending dollars for every dollar you raised in taxes to get your debt and deficit under control.  Ever since then, Canada has really been on a financial and job roll.   You have to thank the folks you guys elected who did the difficult but right thing. 

Our folks can't do anything difficult or right it seems. 

Happy Holidays!

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Not to go off into a political/economical rant here, but yes, I am very thankful to our government.  We can complain about all sorts of things, it is in our human nature.  However, seeing how bad you guys have had it down there in the last few years really makes me feel thankful for our system.  At least economically speaking.  We did have a few bad years after the Vancouver Olympic year, but it is getting better, finally.

Arctic circle??? You make it sound like we really DO live in igloos up here!  :)

Darn you and your Arizona sun and heat.  I would love to look outside right now at a cactus!  Instead I have wet, bare trees swaying in the cold winter wind.

Ok, enough non-bread talk.

John

bakingbadly's picture
bakingbadly

Bacon? Sourdough? Okay, you have my full and undivided attention. :)

"Wi-Fi bread" was literally my first thought upon seeing your photos. Because of that similarity, I'm rather fond of the scoring. It's aesthetically pleasing to my eyes. Combined with the flavours of your boule, it would probably knock my socks off. 

Very nice bake, indeed.

Zita



 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thank you Zita.

I appreciate the kind words.

I hope you give this a try some day.

Regards,
Ian

FlourChild's picture
FlourChild

Sourdough and bacon?  (thumps head repeatedly with hand)  It's such a great idea, I can't believe I haven't done this yet.  Thanks for pointing me in the right direction :)  Your scoring opened up into the most beautiful crescents, can't wait to try that, too.

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thank you FlourChild!  I hope you try this one.  It's a tasty one for sure.

Regards,
Ian

Mebake's picture
Mebake

The ghost i get, your hungry cat.. But the floating crumb pic? :)

excellent results, Ian.. What a yummy and successful way to use up leftovers, and impress your new colleagues! Nice job.

Khalid

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks Khalid.

Glad you were impressed by the floating crumb pic. :)

Hope your recovery is going smoothly.

Regards,
Ian