January 12, 2017 - 4:40am
Mediterranean diet breads
My doctor told me I'd benefit from going toward a Mediterranean diet. I don't have to be strict about it, but some changes would be a good idea. The bad thing was that my wife was there when the doctor said that, so now she's on a mission. She's also pretty convinced that non-whole-grain flour is evil flour, and believes that any healthy diet wouldn't include that. She's having problems finding bread recipes that are specific to the Mediterranean diet. I'm not finding anything that points either way.
Does anyone know if those on a Mediterranean diet use strictly whole grain flours, or is it more of a mixture. I do know that sourdough bread is a definite yes.
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even if all white. What is a Mediterranean bread? Well I suppose any bread from any country around the Mediterranean. No one specific type of bread, I assume there are going to be hundreds. And I even bet many of them are non sourdough and made with white flour. Yes there are aspects to the Mediterranean diet that is healthy but I don't think every thing eaten in that huge area is going to be healthy per se. Maybe not bad for you but nothing in the way of changing to a specifically healthier diet. Pizza would be Mediterranean. If you make it at home with good ingredients it's going to be a better option in most cases.
For better health, make it yourself. You will get the exercise! 100% Whole-Wheat Sourdough Bread, M.A. ©
This recipe is from Mike Avery’s web site: http://www.sourdoughhome.com/
It is certainly simpler than that from Peter Reinhart, and has not suffered from the simplification. Avery specifies the finely milled whole wheat flour (King Arthur Whole Wheat works), while Reinhart says any grind for most of the dough. Avery likes to use less dough in his loaves than I, therefore I have increased the amount of ingredients while maintaining the same ratios. This recipe is for three loaves.
3 1/4 cup (30 oz., 850 g) 100% hydration refreshed whole-wheat starter
3 1/3 cup (28.3 oz., 803 g) water or scalded milk, 190°F cooled to 90°F (skim for ©)
7 3/4 cup (32.9 oz., 933 g) whole-wheat flour
4 tspn. (0.8 oz., 23 g) salt
1/3 cup (4.5 oz., 127 g) honey or brown sugar
8 Tbs. (4 oz., 113 g) melted butter, corn oil (©)
1 to 2 cup (4.3 to 8.5 oz., 122 to 241 g) whole wheat flour during kneading
Melted butter for greasing the loaf pan and the crust of the baked bread, if desired.
Yields 103 to 107 ounces of 86 to 93% hydration dough for three loaves.
Place the starter, honey, salt, and liquid in a bowl and whisk them together, then whisk in the melted butter, and enough flour to make a batter. Stir in the rest of the 7 1/2 cups of flour to make a shaggy mass of dough. With a wet hand, massage the dough, making sure there are no unmoistened lumps. Let the dough rest of about thirty minutes.
Lightly flour your work surface and knead the dough for ten or fifteen minutes or until the dough passes the windowpane test. The dough will loose its stickiness as it is kneaded. Add as little of extra flour during the hand kneading as you can. Less is good. Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a piece of plastic.
Let the dough rise at room temperature, about 70 to 75°F for one to three hours. Stretch and fold the dough over on itself three or four times during the rising period. The longer rising time will give a more pronounced sourdough taste and a better crumb structure. I suggest that two hours rising is about optimum.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush three 4” x 8” loaf pans with melted butter. Divide the risen and degassed dough into three equal parts and form to fit the loaf pans. In forming the loaf, stretch the skin tightly so the loaf will maintain its shape. Brush the surface of the dough with melted butter, cover with plastic, and allow it to rise until it comes well above the top of the pan, about 2 inches. Place a pan on the bottom of the hot oven and add a cup or so of boiling water to the pan. Lightly spray the top of the dough with water. Place the bread pans on a shelf above the boiling water. Spray water into the oven two or three times during the first five minutes. After 15 minutes reduce the temperature to 350°F, and continue baking for another 40 or so minutes, until the interior temperature reaches 195°F, or the loaf gives a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.
Place the baked loaves on a wire rack and brush with melted butter. Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel and allow to cool. Do not slice before it has cooled. The cooled loaf may be packaged in a plastic bag and frozen, if desired.
Modified from Mike Avery’s recipe
This is a Mediterranean diet based recipe?
kick out the sugar and add a lot of seeds, pumpkin, sunflower, and soaked whole grains. Add some wine to drink and enjoy flavoured oils and cheeses, onions and vegetables. Here is a supportive link with lots of ideas.... https://authoritynutrition.com/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan/
traditionally by little old ladies. Seen in the first part of the video (the above posted link) the bread is baked and pulled apart and dried and used by the video author in a bread chickpea dish. Wish I had a recipe for the barley bread. Couldn't quite catch the name of it.
I'm not sure it's the bread so much as what you do with it. Most Mediterranean area breads are probably quite lean (made without dairy or sweetener) with maybe some olive oil added to the dough. But they don't load the bread up with butter and jam! Dip it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar; top it with fresh tomatoes, basil and a bit of good cheese; eat it with olives and some smoked or pickled fish, that sort of thing.
And most research indicates that the way people in France and other Med countries eat is as important as what they eat. They take their time, focus on the food and enjoy it with friends and family. Not while driving or sitting in front of the TV. :)
Yeah, I agree with all that. When I go to nice restaurants, especially those in Boston's Italian North End, sourdough is always brought to the table with a dish of olive oil with cheese, dried peppers and whatnot in it and we love that. We're going to start adding that to our diet as well.
Another big difference between their diet and Americans' is that they serve sensible sized adult servings, rather than rhinoceros-sized servings. My friends and I go to watch the football games at a local sports bar. We often get a meal while we're there, and I've taken to ordering from the children's menu. A normal cheeseburger and fries costs $11.95, and I can never finish it. A child's cheeseburger and fries costs $5.99 and it's PLENTY. I have to confess that this mindset of over-abundance in food has carried over to my home cooking practices, and it's one thing that I'm striving to overcome.
An unfortunate leftover, and to some extent evolution of, the depression-era mindset of "clean your plate."