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Pane Tipo di Altamura - April 14, 2016

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Pane Tipo di Altamura - April 14, 2016

Pane Tipo di Altamura

14 April, 2016

David Snyder

 

My bake of Pane Tipo di Altamura on March 31 yielded a good looking loaf with very nice texture. However, the flavor was unexciting, except when the bread was dipped in olive oil. I thought it should be more flavorful.

 Since then, I have read over the reports by other TFL members of their attempts to make this bread. I was intrigued particularly by several of the online resources shared by mwilson. These included documentation of the DOP specifications for Pane di Altamura, including the timing of fermentation and shaping steps. I have never made this bread following that schedule, and I though I should do so, at least once.

There are two important factors I cannot replicate. First, I am using Fancy Durum flour from King Arthur. I really have no idea how that flour compares to flour milled from durum wheat grown in Puglia. The second factor is that I don't have a wood-fired oven, so I need to attempt a bake that achieves the target crust and crumb best I can with my electric oven.

  

Total Dough

Wt. (g)

Baker's %

Semola Rimacinata (Fine Durum flour)

495

90

AP flour

55

10

Water

385

70

Salt

10

1.8

Total

890

161.8

Note: The inclusion of 10% AP flour occurred because I ran out of durum flour.

 

Biga Naturale

Wt. (g)

Baker's %

Semola Rimacinata (Fine Durum flour)

50

100

Water (80-90ºF)

35

70

Semola Rimacinata starter

20

40

Total

105

210

 

  1. Place the starter in a medium bowl.

  2. Add the water and mix until the starter is in pea-size pieces.

  3. Add the flour and mix until there is no dry flour and the biga feels like a bread dough.

  4. Place the biga in a clean bowl and cover tightly.

  5. Ferment for about 12 hours at 65ºF.

  6. Refrigerate overnight.

Note: I did two builds, starting with all-durum biga that had been refrigerated for 3 days.

  

Final Dough

Wt. (g)

Semola Rimacinata (Fine Durum flour)

445

AP Flour

55

Water

350

Salt

10

Biga Naturale

105

Total

965

 

Procedures

  1. Mix the Biga and water well in the bowl using the paddle. (I used a KitchenAid mixer.)

  2. Add the flours and then the salt. Mix at Speed 1 for 9-10 minutes.

  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly.

  4. Ferment for 90 minutes at 76dF.

  5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board and pre-shape as a moderately tight boule.

  6. Cover with a cloth and rest for 30 minutes at 76dF.

  7. Pre-heat oven to 500dF with steaming apparatus in place.

  8. Return dough to the board and pre-shape again as a moderately tight boule.

  9. Cover with a cloth and rest for 30 minutes at 76dF.

  10. Return dough to the board.

  11. Using the sides of your two hands, make a wide groove down the middle of the loaf. Then fold the loaf at the groove so that the upper half over-laps the lower half 3/4 of the way. Gently seal the seam between the upper and lower layers.

  12. Transfer the loaf to a peel.

  13. Turn the oven down to 450ºF, steam the oven and transfer the loaf to the baking stone.

  14. Bake with steam for 15 minutes.

  15. Remove the steam source from the oven. Turn the oven temperature down to 420ºF (or 400ºF convection bake).

  16. Bake for another 18-22 minutes. The loaf should be nicely browned. It should sound hollow when the bottom is thumped with a knuckle. The internal temperature should be at least 205ºF.

  17. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and cool thoroughly before slicing.

 

Tasting Notes and comments

This bake compared to my last bake altered the dough hydration – increasing it from 60 to 70% - and the procedure was closer to that specified by the DOP definition of Pane di Altamura. The dough had a very different consistency. It was much more soft and extensible than previously and seemed very much closer to what I have seen in the videos of bread making in Altamura. How much of this change was due to the increased hydration, how much to the mixing difference and how much to the cold retardation of the biga is uncertain.

My shaping was much closer to the traditional Altamura folded loaf, but the final loaf shape after baking was not ideal. I believe I know how to fix this. I see it as a minor problem.

The crumb was less open than my last bake, but I think it was “in the ballpark” of the Pane di Altamura crumbs I have seen in photos. The bread was soft and mildly chewy once cool. The crust could have been thicker. The flavor was improved over my last bake. It had a slight sweet wheaty flavor with the barest suggestion of a creamy tang. It was good bread, but not in the same league as a good French-style Pain au Levain in my opinion.

Today, after I had the dough fermenting, I took delivery of 10 lbs of fancy durum flour from Keith Giusto's Bakery Supply (Central Milling). I believe my next bake of this bread will be in a wood-fired oven, with which I have a May Day date!

Photo Gallery

 

 

David

 

Comments

Isand66's picture
Isand66

David, great write-up.  Thanks for all the details and it looks like you achieved some good results.  So what would you do next time to improve your shaping?  Having never made this style I'm not sure what to look for myself.

Do you think maybe a bulk retarding of the dough may also improve the flavor?  While I have not made this exact authentic formula I have made many high percentage durum loaves and I found the durum flavor really came through using a overnight bulk retardation in the refrigerator.

Regards,
Ian

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Thanks for your comments, Ian.

In terms of shaping, I see two opportunities to improve outcome. First, I think a slightly longer bulk fermentation would help with dough aeration. Second, the folds stuck together excessively. I think sprinkling some flour between the folds would help. A third issue is that a competing baking project had pre-empted the oven just when I should have been re-heating my baking stone. So, pre-heating was shorter than ideal. This probably impaired oven spring.

For examples of the target loaf appearance, see: http://www.panealtamuradop.it

In terms of flavor, we're thinking along the same lines. I considered doing a cold retardation in bulk for this bake, but, instead, opted for a trial of the DOP prescribed procedure.

David

mwilson's picture
mwilson

I like the even colouring of the loaf, better than you're previous one in my opinion. You have a better shape too.

When shaping this "accavallato" they flip it over to get some bench flour on it before closing the fold. This will stop it sealing completely and allow for expansion during the bake. I see this bread a bit like a folded focaccia, since this dough is not strong enough to rise to great heights the intriguing shape is a crafty compromise to get some height!

I have a baked a few more loaves but none have been as good as the one I blogged. This is a real head-scratcher and I think only a trip to Altamura and time with the bakers can unravel the mysteries of how they produce this highly recognised bread.

Keep up the good work!

PS. what you refer to as "Biga Naturale" is not a biga at all. I've never heard any professional baker in Italy using such a term. A "Biga" is strictly a commercial yeast pre-ferment.

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Re. terminology: I have heard the term "lievito madre" and "lievito naturale" used in some of the Altamura videos. I cannot swear to having heard "biga" used with or without modification.

Are you ready to organize a TFL tour of Italian bakeries? We can skip Tuscany, as far as I am concerned, but Sicily and Sardinia are mandatory. Naples for pizza for sure. Altamura, of course.

David

mwilson's picture
mwilson

Sure David I can do that. A tour of the south and the islands sounds good! I have a trip to California lined up this June. When I'm back I'll look into it...

 

Michael

EDIT: I think these two bakeries are a must visit in Altamura.

Terre e Gusti
Il Panettiere di Altamura

Italy, Via Mura Megalitiche, 53, 70022 Altamura BA, Italy

panettieredialtamura.it

+39 080 314 3986

From <https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Il+Panettiere+di+Altamura/@40.8358539,16.5565193,19.85z/data=!4m7!1m4!3m3!1s0x1347879fb8e9a133:0x660cbe711a6b53a8!2sVia+Mura+Megalitiche,+53,+70022+Altamura+BA,+Italy!3b1!3m1!1s0x1347879fd4fb856b:0x7d291b0ffe2e61e4>

 

Panificio Di Gesù

Via Pimentel, 17

70022 Altamura (Ba) – Italy

t +39 080.314.12.13

From <http://www.digesu.it/site/contatti/>

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/F.lli+Di+Ges%C3%B9+s.n.c./@40.8309529,16.5538424,16.55z/data=!4m7!1m4!3m3!1s0x134787746d514317:0x8aa8a73b3438c709!2sVia+Eleonora+Pimentel,+17,+70022+Altamura+BA,+Italy!3b1!3m1!1s0x134787740d0dc12b:0xbaec2e03ad172941

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

tossing some semolina in the fold before folding and at 70% hydration this could be two tosses of semolina:-).  Only folding 3/4 of the way is the the other trick.  We both will get it right next time:-)  I think the crust and crumb would be closer to wood fired if the bread was baked with half the normal steam at 500 F for 5 minutes after loading and then turned down to 450 F fora total of 20 minutes of steam and then turned down to 425 F Convention after the steam comes out and baking to 207 F on the inside.  That is at least what I will do on the next try:-)

I think your bread was a big step in the right direction.

I'm with you.  Michael  should get a Fresh Lofian trip together for Pugiia, Sardinia and Sicily - All were originally Greek colonies by the way....

Happy baking 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

If a super-ripe starter is necessary for 1) flavor and 2) dough extensibility, and if the starter is fed three times before being used, and if Pane di Altamura is being baked daily, that implies 8 hours' fermentation per build (assuming equal times for all builds to ripen).

Even if the starter is super-active, I don't see how these conditions can all be met. 

Well, I can see staggering production, For example having multiple starters, each in a different build at any one time. But I don't think that's what they do. It's too complicated, takes up too much room, etc.

Any insights?

David <Hoping for enlightenment>

joc1954's picture
joc1954

I am living in Slovenia just about 600 km away from Altamura and some time ago I was watching some videos about "Pane di Altamura". Only recently I was able to get some Semola (Durum) flour, unfortunately it was not the "Rimacinata" flour. To solve the problem I have re-milled it on my home mill. I used my regular wheat starter @100% hydration (50% WW and 50%AP flour) for inoculation. I have increased the amount of prefermented flour to be at 20%. In first attempt the final dough was 63% hydrated and in second attempt a finished at slightly over 70%. My bulk fermentation was a bit shorter because the dough has risen to 200% in approx. 3 hours. I didn't try to perform the final shape in one of typical forms but rather elected the "commercial" form with slashes in triangle form.

The bread was baked in wood fired oven staring at 250 degrees C and ended after an hour at 220 degrees as the result of normal cooling down the oven. The oven spring was great, the crust was excellent and about 3mm thick, the crumb was soft but relatively very dense without any big holes. The increased hydration to 70% didn't bring more big holes, however the bread was slightly less dense. The taste was bot times great but unfortunately I can't compare it with the original as I have never tasted that before.

My dough was looking much less wet than David's after bulk fermentation and my next attempt will be to increase the hydration even further. In some videos the dough looks pretty wet.

Loaf @63% hydration baked in wood fired oven

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loaf @63% hydration baked in wood fired oven.

 

 

Crumb @63% hydration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crumb and crust @63% hydration

 

 

Loaf @70% hydration baked in wood fired oven

Loaf @70% hydration baked in wood fired oven.

 

 

Crumb @70% hydration

 

Crumb and crust @70% hydration.

Next time I will probably increase the hydration and also shape it in the traditional way.

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

One thing I believe I have learned about this bread is that the levain is extraordinarily important in determining the bread's texture and flavor. 

I believe your crumb would open up if you used a 100% durum levain. The whole wheat flour is making it denser. Also, a more open crumb results from fuller fermentation of the levain and not over-working the dough more than from increased hydration. 

These are impressions from my limited experience but also derive from comments shared by others who are working on this type of bread.

Happy baking!

David

joc1954's picture
joc1954

David, thanks for excellent advice. I am quite sure that your conclusions are pointing in the right direction. Maybe I was not 100% clear in my initial post but actually I was using almost 100% durum levain - I just used a little bit of my starter, which I feed with 50% of WW and 50 AP flour, to inoculate a durum based levain. In my attempts to make bread that is just a little bit sour I have followed the advice of Chad Robertson in his book to use young levain and actually in my both attempts with Altamura bread I used a very young levain. Therefore in my next attempt I will change this and also follow timings from your post.

Happy baking!

Joze