What's the matter with you? Act like a man!"

Yep, thats right!  ....Don Corleone...

I love Don Corleone...Not Micheal so much but I digress...

What does the Godfather have to do with bread?

Sicily...

Pane di oggi e' dalla Sicilia.

Stupendo, Bellissimo, Sfarzoso.....

amo questo il pane.

Che e' giusto, amo, amo, amo il pane dalla Sicilia.

Urgh my Italian is very very RUSTY!!

Another trip is needeD soon!!

the eye (occhi )

Practice, I will.....I promise before I lose any ability what so ever.

So yes, this yumminess is from Sicily.

It is distinct because it uses a lot of durum wheat flour.

I believe the durum wheat gives it a distinct  taste.

The recipe that I have used allows the durum to brew like a biga for a few days..

Tasty!

You need 2-4 days for this bread.

I will often start it on a Wednesday and we will have it for Saturday dinner.

DO NOT BACK OUT NOW!!!

Well worth the wait!

Lovely and fresh...

When people go "oh white bread , is so crap for you etc etc"...

It makes me angry because homemade white bread cooked with no additives or rubbish is fabulous...

Nothing like the taste...

It is only when we stick rubbish in it.

I love grain and rye breads too but there is nothing like a fresh white bread.

Anyhow without any further blithering....

the dough....

WHAT WILL YOU NEED?

For the starter...

1 cup of durum wheat flour (semola)

1 cup of bread flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried yeast

1 cup, maybe more of warm water to make a sticky dough.

For the bread:

All of the starter

2 cups of durum wheat flour  (semola)

1 & 1/2 cups of bread flour.

1 tsp salt

2 tsp dried yeast

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp honey

1 and 1/2 cups of warm water.

Some sesame seeds....

My sons hate sesame seeds so I had to use poppy seeds which they will TOLERATE...

stretching it...

shape it..

Mix all your dry starter ingredients together.

Add in the warm water, forming a dough and knead the dough for 6 minutes.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover, leave for 90 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl and knead a little to knock it back.

Return to the covered bowl and place in the fridge.

The minimum time is one night but I like to leave it for 2 nights...

Flavour develops more...

mafalda

sesame seeded mafalda

plain occhi

Now the bread:)

Take the starter from the fridge and hour or so before you want to use it.

Warm the water, add in the honey and dissolve it and then stir in the yeast.

Let it become frothy..usually 10 minutes, add in the Olive oil.

Add this yeasty mix to the original biga and combine well.

Mix all the dry ingredients together and then add in the above wet ingredients, forming a dough.

Knead for about 8 minutes, you really need to work this as durum is a hard wheat.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave for 2 hours.

ready!

ready!

double trouble

Remove from the bowl and divide into 2 pieces.

I will usually roll each piece to be 30-35cms long.

I will make the occhi(eye) by rolling in one end to half way and then repeating on the other side.

The Mafalda, you do by giving it a zigzag shape and then pulling the tail up through the middle of the bread.

Place bread on a greased tray that is sprinkled with semolina.

I will then lightly brush with water and sprinkle on the seeds if any.

Cover the trays with plastic bags and tie tightly.

Place in the fridge overnight, at least 12 hours .

slice it real good!

Occhi up close

gorgeous crumb

Remove from fridge and allow to come back to room temperature for about 90-120 minutes.

Preheat the oven after 90 minutes to 245 Celsius.

When bread is ready, place in the oven.

Spray the oven walls to create the moist atmosphere we want to get that great crust.

Close the door and repeat 2 more times in the next 5 minutes.

Turn oven down to 210 celsius and bake for 15 minutes.

Turn the trays around, turn heat down to 200 celsius and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Try to restrain yourself for 45 minutes before slicing the bread.

Slice and ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY!!

Gorgeous with Fig jam or chutney & cheese or just alone...

Cold meats, salad....tasty:)

a little butter?

yum...

yummy..

full frontal..

white bread??

the occhi..

Did you love this bread?

Have you tried the Pugliese?

Or the ciabatta?

Maybe the focaccia?

delish!

To make this bread I have over time adapted recipes from 'The Bread Bakers Apprentice by Peter Reinhart & "The Italian Baker' by Carol Field.

Grazie to both for their bread wisdom.

http://greedybread.com/on-this-dayi-give-my-only-daughter/