The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Tuscany

AprilSky's picture
AprilSky

We have 2 Costco conveniently located in different sites of the city I live in. We also have many of the others but Costco is always my best choice for grossary. I bought this cooking book at Costco 4 years ago and have been practicing the recipes it offers. And as it says I found it incredibly easy to follow. Rustic Tuscany Bread from the cooking book has been the most facinating piece to me. I did it quite often and I did it kind of my own special version. It looks gorgeous and tastes fantastic. My friends screamed every time I brought it to dinner parties.  

It is incredibly easy.

 

I don't like frozen bread dough so I had to come up with the bread dough myself. It's the same dough I use for focaccia

 

Drained tomato stew as filling.

 

I rolled the dough to a 5mm thick 30x40 cm rectangle and spray 1 table spoon of olive oil with a sprinkle of sea salt evenly over the dough.

 

I

Drained tomato stew over 2/3 of dough.

 

 

Add a layer of pizza cheese. 

 

I guess it will be pretty much OK if you add more ingredients.

 

First 1/3 on the second 1/3~~~~My poor English. ><!

 

2/3 on the last 1/3~~~~folding done!

 

Some flour on both sides~~~

 

Let it rest for one hour to double the size.

 

Score few diamonds on the top of dough. This is the most exciting part of making the bread.

 

   The tip is to cut the dough deep and wide to reveal the filling but still firm enough to hold the filling inside the dough after baking.

  

The beauty from my oven.

 

I love how the scoring turned out.

 

Yummy~~~~

 

turosdolci's picture
turosdolci

In Italy desserts are often flavored with honey, chestnuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Cantucci originated in the Tuscany and it is thought that they were flavored with almonds from Prato. They can be found in every pasticceria in the Tuscany. Cantucci are mostly eaten with a glass of “Vin Santo” a sweet wine. Many restaurants serve small almond biscotti with coffee and some will have a bowl of them on the table at all times. It is probably the most well-known and popular biscotti in Italy.

Following is our family recipe for cantucci. Make a full recipe and stored in a metal container, they will last a few weeks. They can be frozen up to two months – they defrost very quickly. You will always have biscotti to serve with coffee when friends drop by. 

If this link doesn't connect, go to http://turosdolci.wordpress.com

http://turosdolci.wordpress.com/2009/08/01/almond-biscotti-“cantucci”-recipe/


 

 

 

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