The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Polenta Pine Nut

nmygarden's picture
nmygarden

Polenta Pine Nut

Hi Everyone and Happy 4th!

Finally, a little time to relax, spend time at home with my kitties, Daisy and Tillie (shown here)

and to bake, a break from too many long weeks of long hours. The freezer was nearly devoid of breads, so a good chance to play with my hands and my imagination and restock. All told, baked goods this weekend included granola, WW English Muffins, Ciabbata and this lovely Polenta Pine Nut loaf. I've made this one before, and used notes I'd left in the margins to take it a step further - more polenta, more whole wheat and whole rye flours, a long cold retardation. And I'm happy with how it turned out, with a crisp, light crust, soft, crumb littered with toasted pine nuts and plenty of soft, golden polenta bits.

The formula included a levain:

70 g SD Starter (~100% hydration)

50 g WW flour

50 g water

The dough combined and autolysed for 1 hour

340 g water

400 g AP flour

50 g Whole Rye flour

50 g WW flour

Then added and mixed until the dough was well developed:

the Levain

11 g Salt

Then added to combine:

150 g Polenta, cooked and cooled (30 g in 120 g water)

Bulk fermented for 3 hours, with stretch and folds at the hour (just 2 this time), adding:

60 g Pine Nuts, toasted and cooled

with the first S&F. Shaped and placed in a rice flour-dusted cotton towel-lined banneton, bagged and into the refrigerator for the night.

The next day, brought it out onto the counter while the oven heated with a stone and cloche lid. Dusted the bottom with cornmeal and turned it onto parchment, scored the top and into the oven it went (450 F, covered, for 20 minutes, then uncovered another 20 minutes).

It has now been cooled, sliced, securely bagged and stashed into the freezer to enjoy in the days and weeks to come. Yea! No more empty-ish freezer. I had hoped the crumb would be a bit more open, and had added water as I mixed, aware of the extra thirsty whole grain flours that were included. Maybe a bit more water next time... 

 Thanks for reviewing with me. I look forward to seeing all the new posts.

Cathy

Comments

Yippee's picture
Yippee

She reminds of my childhood pal, who's a boy. We shared many wonderful moments together.  Beautiful bread, thanks for sharing.

Yippee

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

Must taste very nice and unique! Beautiful bread and scoring and feline companion.

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Your bread looks perfect too!  Nice crumb and it must have tasted great.  How did your English muffins turn out?

Thanks for sharing and say hi to your furries from Max, Lexi, Misty, Cleo, Mookie, Lucy and last but not least, Cosmo!

nmygarden's picture
nmygarden

...are a regular bake, at least once a month. Easy enough to stir together the overnight ferment of flours, milk and starter, the next morning add salt, a bit of sugar and add-ins, roll out, cut, raise and griddle bake. I've been inching upwards the whole grain flours, at nearly 50% now, and it's working out well. They freeze well, so I can include them in take-to-the-office breakfast choices. I love to add dried fruit bits and seeds or nuts.

Tillie is a cutie, and she knows it, but the hard part is catching her still enough for a closeup. Enjoy your furry gang, your beautiful garden and your baking!

Cathy

bottleny's picture
bottleny

705 g SD Starter is a large quantity, considering the amount of flour and water to revive the starter. Is that OK?

nmygarden's picture
nmygarden

You are right, 705 g is excessive and wouldn't have even fit in the basket! I've edited the blog to the accurate quantity of starter at 70 g. Thanks!

Cathy

Ru007's picture
Ru007

Great bake Cathy :)

I like polenta in bread too. Never tried pine nuts, but it sound good. I'll have to give this a try.

Happy baking :)

 

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

scoring to top it off!   That Tillie is gorgeous too.  She looks just like my Coco from long long ago.  Coco would let you scratch her ears but the tummy rub was off limits.  She would roll over on her back with her paws in the air and say ....come over here and rub my tummy.......so I can scratch you with all 4 paws at once you fool!  A really great mouser too.

The bread has ti be as tasty as it looks!  Never used pine nuts in bread for some reason but they have too great with polenta.  I used to toast them, then grind them up and put them in polenta:-)  They have gotten pretty expensive around here so have converted most recipes to walnuts or almonds instead.

Well done and happy baking  - give that Tillie a tummy rub from Lucy and Daisy too!.

nmygarden's picture
nmygarden

Tillie and Daisy both enjoy belly rubs - first cats I've ever had that do, but they must be gentle and only when invited. Guess they haven't read the 'manual'... I'm glad Tillie's pic reminded you of your long ago Coco, it's good for us to recall those past relationships fondly.

This bread is, indeed tasty, with a balance of flavors that compliment each other well. I think you would like this one, but without sprouted grains, Lucy may roll her eyes in disapproval. And I'm looking forward to the bread challenge and seeing the many interpretations that will come.

I'm hoping for a cooling spell your way... may be headed on a crazy road trip in the next week or two to 2 AZ rock quarries (NW of Wintersburg) to select materials for a project in Indio. Wow, what we won't do for our projects.

Happy (and cool) baking!

Cathy