Love to Make Bread

Give us today our daily bread:

Well, I don't bake daily, but today seemed like a good day for bread.  As I've said, I really don't use a recipe, so I will have to get Leon to make a video of the baker at work one of these days.

White Pizza Night

 Last night was White Pizza Night.  Starting with my pizza dough made with King Arthur Unbleached and a little Whole Wheat.  Started with a couple of coffee mugs of warm water, a package of yeast, olive oil and salt.  After an hour and a half to two hours: Isn't that beautiful?

Getting the fillings and toppings ready:  Ricotta and spinach with some parmesan cheese, salt, pepper.

Eggplant drizzled with garlic infused olive oil, salt pepper and oregano, then oven roasted.

Onion and mushrooms oven roasted with olive oil.

I divided the dough into four pieces:

I flatten them out on the counter top with enough flour to keep them from sticking.  I don't twirl.  (Well, maybe some years ago, at the disco.)

Two of the pizzas got stuffed with the ricotta mixture and some fresh mozzarella.

The folded pizza or calzone was sealed using the Florentine Tapestry method (I made that up).  See the sealed edge of my calzone.

See the edge on the Florentine Tapestry

Put steam holes on top, then bake in a preheated HOT oven - 450 to 500 degrees

This pizza has eggplant and drizzled with more olive oil.

I recently acquired some nice asiago cheese, so grated some and put it on top.

The other pizza has the roasted onion and mushroom mixture and the asiago too.  I really shouldn't bake all of these at once, because my little 11 year old, $245 "Sears dent-and-scratch oven"* is not meant for such tasks, but I am not known for my patience.  So in they went.  If I could crank the oven to more than 500 degrees, I would have.

Here they are, waiting for everyone to dig in.  The calzone oozed out some of the filling.

Taste test:  Everyone thought they were tasty.  The onion and mushroom was a good combo.  I thought the eggplant needed something - a little more salt maybe;  I had a piece with some of the ricotta filling that had oozed out of the calzone and that was exactly what it needed: eggplant and ricotta pizza, yum.

*bring out the red robe, the crown and the bouquet of roses now

Pizza Rustica di Pasqua (Easter Pizza) and Braided Egg Bread (Easter Bread)

Pizza Rustica

There are almost as many recipes for Pizza Rustica di Pasqua as there are Italian families in America.  Some are more a rich cheese bread which look absolutely delicious on google and others, the "rustica" or rustic are savory pies.  None that I viewed on the internet are quite the same as what my grandmother and my aunts used to make and that I've made for many years myself.  As it is quite "heavy" and not cheap to make, I suggest cutting the recipe down to 2/3 or less. Exact proportions of the filling are not that important. One of my cousins said her mom's pie weighed 30 pounds, but I think that was an exaggeration.

Aunt Stella's recipe for the pie filling called for the following (but you can use less for a smaller pie)
  ~ 3 dozen boiled eggs, quartered (I used 2 dozen)
  ~ 2 pounds of capocollo, (a deli ham with hot pepper) (I used 1 pound),
  ~ 2 pounds of formaggio fresco, a fresh "basket cheese" somewhat like farmers cheese that you can likely only get at an Italian market around the Easter holiday. (I used 1 pound)
  ~ 6 beaten eggs. (5 for a smaller pie)

  

Crust:
Every crust recipe I found on-line called for butter as well.  For a large pie use:
3 1/2 cups flour (plus 1/2 cup for kneading and rolling)
6 beaten eggs
1 stick of soft butter (not melted) plus a little salt.  (tsp)

If making a smaller recipe use:
2 1/2 cups flour (plus 1/2 cup for kneading and rolling)
5 beaten eggs,
1/2 stick of soft butter plus a little salt

I use the 21 inch rolling pin (actually a 1 1/4 inch diameter dowel) which allows you to roll out a thin crust large enough to cover the bottom of the roasting pan.

Combine the flour, beaten eggs and butter and salt in the proportions that you choose. Mix, then knead until a dough comes together; knead for 5 or 10 minutes till smooth and evenly mixed, then wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 or 15 minutes.

Divide the dough slightly unequally and roll out the larger portion in a rectangular shape thin enough to line the bottom and sides of a large or medium size roasting pan (depending on the flour proportions you chose) for the bottom crust.  Lay it into the pan.

Put one layer of sliced capocollo on the bottom, (some recipes use a combination of Italian meats like salami, mortadella, prosciutto, etc. but our family recipe uses only capocollo).
Then one layer of boiled eggs quartered and placed closely together in rows down the length of the pan.

Cut slices of fresh basket cheese and place them on top of the boiled eggs . Continue to layer more capocollo, more boiled egg quarters, more formaggio fresco (basket cheese) and end with a layer of capocollo.

Pour the beaten eggs on top (the egg will drizzle into the pie) and then roll out the remaining dough into a rectangular shape large enough to cover the pie with a top crust.
Trim any excess around the edges and use this to make a cross or design on the top (optional)
Pinch the edges, brush the crust with egg wash (egg beaten with a little water) and bake at 350 for an hour and a quarter - to an hour and a half.
The crust should get golden brown.
Let it cool before cutting into it.

This is the original "breakfast sandwich" but it comes with a warning: Distribute generous portions to all your friends and relatives because after three days you will be sick of this version of ham and eggs, guaranteed.

Sweet Egg Bread - Pane di Pasqua

Well, there is no recipe for my bread so I'll wing it like I do when I make it.  This non-recipe will make two large (pizza pan size) or four medium size breads on two sheet pans (see photo).

I started with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 or 2 packets of yeast (or 2to 4 tsp), and a little  flour to get them started. (Adjust amount of yeast depending on quality and ambient temperature. Add up to 1/4 cup honey or sugar and this will feed the yeast in a big way)

Meanwhile I warmed up 3 cups of milk in the microwave - (NOT HOT) (you can use 2 cups milk and 1 cup water) and softened (NOT MELTED) a stick and a half of butter

I added 3/4 cup of sugar (sometimes I use less, especially if I use honey in the yeast mixture) and 4 eggs to the milk and beat them in, added this to the yeast mixture along with the butter and then added some flour, 2 generous teaspoons of salt.

I beat the mixture with a wooden spoon and I kept adding flour until a dough began to form.  Lose the spoon and use hands to knead while adding a little flour at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky but can be kneaded into a smooth ball.  This is a soft dough.

Brush with oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours in a large bowl or pot, till doubled in volume.

Depending on how many and how large you want your loaves, divide the dough into that many pieces. Divide each of those into three and roll into "ropes".  Braid the three ropes for each loaf and form into a ring, a half circle, or whatever shape you like.

Place one or more raw eggs or raw colored eggs into the braid (I used only one because a) we will get tired of eating hard cooked eggs real soon and b) it is easier to slice the bread without the eggs int the way). Let rise for 1 hours or so and brush with egg wash.  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 425 for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 375. If using 2 racks, move the top breads down and the lower ones to the top for more even browning. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or so - depending on your oven, the number of breads in the oven, etc. until the top crust is golden and it taps "hollow" and the edges and peaks are nice and brown.

As you can see, I got distracted and forgot to set the timer to lower the oven.  A little powdered sugar helps cover up the burn.

We get to keep the burnt one, the rest will go to friends or family - maybe.

Schiacciata Siciliana - Spinach Pie

NOTE: I am not sure where the term "Schiacciata" comes from as it means "crushed" (schiacciare - to crush). I've also seen recipes on line where it is spelled "scacciata" which sounds more like the Sicilian word, but is not in my Italian dictionary.

I like to make dough.

Bread dough fascinates me.

But I am not a patient person, nor am I one to plan three days in advance to make a loaf of bread, which the "experts" require in their recipes.  See The Bread Baker's Apprentice and Crust and Crumb, by Peter Reinhart.

All of his artisan, crusty breads require a starter made two or three days in advance and an overnight in the fridge for the final dough.  Jeez, I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow morning, let alone three days from now.  I've been waiting for a big grant writing project to come along.  I was supposed to hear on Monday but I'm thinking the meeting they had at the agency on Friday did not result in a decision, so I have no work this week.  But I digress...

I like the "direct method" of bread making.  That's a technical term for "make your dough today AND eat your bread TODAY".  I've been experimenting with a wetter, softer dough - a little less flour in the water.  And it seems to be producing a good product.  Not superior, but with a nice crust and chewy interior.  I'd prefer a thicker, crunchy crust, so will keep trying.

A good hot oven with an oven hearth, supposedly makes the best bread.  I have to make do with my 10-year-old Kenmore stove from the Sears Dent-and-Scratch Store.  It has served us well, and, god knows, we are not starving.

I don't even bother to always "proof" the yeast according to the rules.  Two coffee mugs of warm water, about one and a half packets of dry yeast, a cup of flour.  It foams up after a few minutes.

Add a teaspoon or so of salt. One cup whole wheat flour and about 3 and a half cups more of unbleached, all purpose or bread flour added a little at a time and beaten with a wooden spoon into a batter-like mass.  As you add flour you may have to use your hands.  You'll get a dough that is sticky but pulls away from the bowl.  Cover and let rise for about 2 hours.

(EDIT 2/11/2020: I have changed my method somewhat, or I should say, I use variations on this bread dough recipe. I often use just King Arthur Bread Flour and only occasionally add whole wheat; I have come to understand that using less yeast (about a teaspoon or two for thee full coffee mugs of water) will work, especially if you let the dough rise in the fridge over night. The more yeast, the faster the rise I think, but the texture and taste is diminished)

I cooked up some mushrooms in olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes, added a bag and a half of washed spinach and let the spinach wilt.  Then drain and squeeze out the extra liquid.

Meanwhile, your dough will have doubled - I WISH MY DOUGH ($) WOULD DOUBLE!

You can punch it down and let it rise again if you are not ready to use it - it can go in the fridge if you need more time.  Then, divide into two or three pieces and shape as you like.  This can be pizza or focaccia too.

For spinach pie, put the spinach on half the round, put cooked Italian sausage on top and fold the pizza over like a turnover.

The sausage bread is similar but long instead of round.

Fold over the pie and roll over the bread

Seal the edges with your fingers

Bake at 500 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Bake the bread for slightly less time.

Critique: Good, but still want a crustier crust and a more airy texture.  By the way schiacciata is pronounced  "Ski-ah-chaht-a".  Variations: Add cooked potato sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper;  broccoli and sausage;  ricotta cheese with a little salt, pepper, nutmeg;  ricotta and spinach; etc....

Dinner's Ready!