Sourdough Italian Bread: Another SJSD Variant
Sourdough Italian Bread: A SJSD Variant
David M. Snyder
October, 2017
This is one of my favorite breads. It uses the San Joaquin Sourdough method but a different flour mix and enrichment with a bit of sugar and olive oil. The dough is lovely to work with, and the flavor is scrumptious - both very tangy and rich. I have made a variety of breads with differing proportions of fine durum flour - from 10% to 100%. So far, I like the breads with 20-40% durum best, and this one best of all.
One warning: I have fed this bread to family members and to attendees at an Italian community potluck. Every time, I have observed many individuals coming back repeatedly for "just one more slice." It does not seem truly addictive. I have not observed any abstinence syndrome ("withdrawal"), but I would exercise caution when offering it to others - reserve a loaf for yourself.
Total Dough |
|
|
Ingredient | Amount (gms) | Bakers' % |
AP flour | 334 | 60.7 |
Fine Durum flour | 200 | 36.4 |
WW flour | 11 | 2 |
Whole Rye flour | 5 | 1 |
Water | 415 | 75 |
Salt | 10 | 1.8 |
Sugar | 14 | 2.5 |
EVOO | 14 | 2.5 |
Total | 1003 | 181.9 |
Liquid Levain |
|
|
Ingredient | Amount (gms) | Bakers' % |
Liquid starter | 40 | 40 |
Water | 100 | 100 |
AP flour | 70 | 70 |
WW flour | 20 | 20 |
Whole Rye flour | 10 | 10 |
Total | 240 | 240 |
Disperse the liquid starter in the water.
Add the flours and mix thoroughly.
Ferment at room temperature until expanded and bubbly (8-12 hours). If necessary, refrigerate overnight and let warm up for an hour before using.
Note: You will only use 100 g of the levain for this recipe. I usually make enough for more than one use. You can, of course, scale down the levain ingredients if you only want enough for this recipe.
Final Dough |
|
Ingredient | Amount (gms) |
AP flour | 300 |
Fine Durum flour | 200 |
Water | 365 |
Salt | 10 |
Sugar | 14 |
Active liquid levain | 100 |
EVOO | 14 |
Total | 1003 |
Procedures
In a large bowl, disperse the levain in the water.
Add the flours and sugar to the liquid and mix to a shaggy mass.
Cover the bowl and let it rest for 20-60 minutes.
Add the salt and olive oil and mix thoroughly. (Note: I squish the dough with my hands until it comes back together, then do stretch and folds in the bowl until it forms a smooth ball and the oil appears completely incorporated.)
Transfer the dough to a 2 quart lightly oiled bowl, and cover the bowl tightly.
After 30 minutes, do stretch and folds in the bowl.
After another 50 minutes, do a stretch and fold on a lightly floured board. Repeat after another 50 minutes.
Continue bulk fermentation for another 30-90 minutes, until the dough is puffy. If fermented in a glass bowl, you should see lots of little bubbles throughout the dough. Volume of the dough may have increased by 50% or so.
Refrigerate for 12-36 hours.
Divide the dough into 2 to 4 equal pieces and pre-shape as rounds or logs. Cover with a clean towel, baker's linen or plasti-crap and let rest for one hour.
Shape as Bâtards, Demi-Baguettes or Ficelles.
Roll the loaves on damp paper towels, then in a tray of sesame seeds. Alternatively, you can brush the loaves with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Proof for about 45 minutes seam-side up on parchment paper or seam-side down on linen, pleated to separate the loaves and supported at both long sides by rolled-up dish towels. Cover with a damp towel, baker's linen or plasti-crap.
One hour before baking, pre-heat the oven to 480ºF with a baking stone and steaming apparatus in place.
When ready to bake, uncover the loaves. Pull the parchment (or linen) from both long sides to flatten out the pleats and separate the loaves.
Transfer the loaves, on the parchment, to a peel, or, if proofed on linen, transfer using a transfer peel. Seam side should now be down. Score them as baguettes or bâtards, according to their shape. Transfer them to the baking stone.
Steam the oven, and turn the temperature down to 460ºF.
After 12 minutes, remove the steaming apparatus. (Note: If you have a convection oven, switch to convection bake and turn the oven down to 435ºF for the remainder of the bake.) Continue baking for another 8-15 minutes or until the loaves are nicely browned and the internal temperature is at least 205ºF.
Transfer the loaves to a cooling rack. Cool completely before eating.
Enjoy!
David