Roman Holiday or of Lievito
I've been a lurker for a while, and a baker of bread for many years, but I thought I'd solicit some advice for a project I have in mind. The only condition for giving advice is that you promise not to tell my wife anything about this ;)
I'll be in Rome for about two weeks this summer and my idea is to build a starter and bake bread by the end of the trip. I'll be staying in an apartment, so I'll have access to an oven and a motley assortment of somebody else's pots and pans. I plan to bring a few things, but I'll have to be strategic. I'm a little concerned that a digital scale and bag of flour might send the wrong message to the authorities.
So, here are some of my questions:
What should I bring?
Can anyone offer advice on Italian brands of flour?
Let's assume I won't be traveling with a pizza stone, any ideas? I'm guessing a decent dutch oven also won't be available.
Other things I should consider?
Ok, so clearly the point isn't that I can't get decent bread in Rome -- I'll be blocks from a very, very nice neighborhood bakery, Il Panificio Passi --, but this seemed like a fun project and memorable, hopefully for the right reasons.
Thanks in advance.
Ed.
Depending on where you are staying, I can lend you scales if you need. And the big casserole I occasionally use as a Dutch oven. At least from time to time.
My mainstay flour is GS's Manitoba. And of course there is lots of semonlina available at various grades of fineness.
Jeremy
p.s. Just looked up that bakery and it seems you'll be in Testaccio, just across the river from me.
I love the Internet ;) Where else can you find hands-on advice on baking in a foreign country and an offer to lend a thing or two to boot. Very generous. You are correct, we'll be in Testaccio.
I liked turosdolci's idea of getting some tiles as that's something it would be nice to bring home. Any ideas where one might find some in general your vicinity?
Will most run-of-the-mill groceries have yeast?
Any tricks to baking with Roman water?
Ed.
You will be able to find active yeast in block form about 2"x2" in the dairy section of any market. They may have package yeast, but they mostly use active fresh yeast. I rented an apartment in Bologna for a month and did all my shopping at the Mercato di Mezzo (an outdoor market) There are many in Rome. They are held on different days of the week in different sections of the city. Look them up or ask someone in your neighborhood for the one closest to you. I go to the Compo dei Fiori but I don't know if it is close to you. There are many speciality shops all around this area, great for vegetables, fish, meats etc. I never had a problem with the water. The stoves and refrigerators are much smaller then in the US, people shop more often. Believe me you will have so much to select from you won't know where to start. I shop once a month at the central market in Como Italy, I have nightmares thinking what I would do if I couldn't shop in Italy anymore. Good Luck
so no need to go to Campo di Fiori. And yes,, most supermarkets have fresh yeast in little packages, in the chiller, often next to the ready-made pastry! If you don't see it, just ask.
Funny thing about the tiles. Although there are tile shops and builders merchants everywhere, I've never actually bought any. I know what they're supposed to be called, something like piastre refractorie, but I've just not done it.
Roman water is pretty hard, but I've never gone to the trouble of comparing tap water with bottled, so I can't speak to that. Tap water works fine for me.
Let me know if you want anything.
Jeremy
You should be able to find a tile company there are many. You could pick up a few tiles to put in your oven. Try talking to the baker, he will be able to advise you as to where to buy whatever you need. If you speak Italian, you might be able to get the baker to let you join in a few days. Italians are helpful and love to share their knowledge of food. Do not bring flour with you this is not a good idea. Unless you are looking for something special, you can find an assortment of flour and semollina at a large market. Sounds like you have already met Jeremy who probably will be a great help in learning about the area you are in. Even if you don't speak Italian, don't hesitate to try to communicate with people at the local bar in your neighborhood. I have had great experiences with local people and the vendors in the outdoor markets are more then willing to give suggestions. Sounds like fun and have a great time.
I now bake when I'm living (researching) in Venice. Last year I took a small amount of starter with me in a thermos. I loved having it there. I bought the "manitoba" flour. Last summer I was using a mix of manitoba, semolina, and whole wheat. I also found a great seed mix at the health food store. I didn't have any equipment there, just baked the loaf on parchment on the "broiling" pan. I did buy a water spritzer to spray the bread before putting it in the oven. It all turned out great. Good luck.
I did also take a small digital scale with me. It really helps to speed things up, esp as there are not cup measures, etc in the apartment (any apartment we rent)