ITALIAN PEASANT BREAD

July 29, 2016

The sweet aroma of whole wheat and corn perfumes the air as the knife breaks through
the crisp and crackling crust. The first slice reveals a crumb that is light and airy with
a open textured with a few large fermentation bubbles through out the loaf. You can
taste subtile sweetness in the bread which is developed in the loaf from the Biga. This
bread is a throw back to days when Italian bakers used a less refined flour and time to
develop the subtile and complex flavors to make their breads. Baking the loaf on a hot
baking stone produces a bread that has the characteristics of a bread baked in a wood-
fired oven. Hand-shaped and hearth baked the Italian Peasant Bread is sure to become
one of your favorite breads to make at home for your friends and family.

What is a Biga?

Italian bakers use a preferment known as a biga in Italy. This process of fermenting the
flour for an 8 to 10 hour period before incorporating it into the final dough develops the
natural sweetness of the flours with out the use of any refined sugar or sweetener in the
final bread. The biga also develops the final texture of the crumb and helps to preserve
the bread by making it less perishable. Making the biga is short work for the baker.
Combine the water, flour, and yeast, stir to combine, cover and let ferment for 8 to 10
hours. You, the baker will be rewarded with amazing flavor and texture in your bread for
just a few minutes of of your time the night or morning before you plan to bake this
bread.

Baking Success for Hearth Baked Breads:

Youll need a few essential pieces of equipment in order to produce the best bread
possible at home.

Baking Stone a high quality baking stone can reproduce the characteristic of a
wood-fired oven in your own home oven. Simulating a brick oven in your home
oven by absorbing and radiating intense, consistent heat to produce loaf of bread
with a crisp, golden brown crust, with amazing oven spring. I recommend
purchasing a stone that is rectangular rather than round, as it will be more useful
for baking a variety of baked goods. I have found Old Stone Oven baking stones
to be the best for their thickness, size, quality, and durability. I recommend
to preheat the baking stone for at least 1 hour before baking on it. This will insure
the best results in your baked goods.
Bakers Peel A wood or aluminum baking peel will make easy work for moving
your loaves of bread in and out of the oven. Choosing a peel that is similar in size
to your baking stone will make it more flexible when making other baked goods
like pizza.
Large Stainless Steel Bowl or Disposable Aluminum Pan The use of the
bowl to cover the loaf of bread in the initial 10 minutes of baking is crucial to hold
in the steam created by the loaf of bread as it is heated by the baking stone. This
creates a small baking chamber in which the crust is moistened by the water
vapors slowing the ability of the crust to set before the loaf can reach its full size
also know as oven spring. It also help to develop the color and crisp, crackly
crust that you would find in a wood-fired brick oven or professional baking oven.
Baking Lame or Straight Edge Razors Professional bakers use a tool called
a lame (pronounced LAHM), which means blade in French. The baking lame
or straight edge razor allows you the baker to release the energy of the loaf of
bread by scoring its surface in one quick motion. Producing a cut that opens
beautifully as the loaf bakes. These inexpensive sharp razors are far superior to
a kitchen knife to score your loaves of bread.
Bakers French Linen or Heavy Canvas Cloth Professional bakers rest the
final shaped loaf of bread in a specially folded, floured cloth called a bakers
couche (pronounced KOOSH). Made of woven linen or 100% cotton, the
couche (from the French word for lying down or sleeping) keeps the doughs
shape intact and its surface uniformly dry as it proofs and rises, helping develop
a thin skin that bakes to a crispy, chewy crust.

See the YouTube Description for Italian Peasant Bread for the links to purchase
these pieces of equipment.

As with all baking recipe I recommend you weigh the ingredients for the Italian Peasant
Bread. Weighing ensures you have a consist dough each and every time. As a baker
we are always striving to remove any variables from the process of baking.
The full instructional video for Italian Peasant Bread is at the bottom of this blog post.
Follow this link to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel Just One Bite,
Please? http://www.youtube.com/c/justonebiteplease/

Equipment:

Mixing Bowls
Measuring Cups & Spoons/Electronic Baking Scale
Rubber Spatula
Plastic Bowl Scrape
Non-Stick Spray or Oil

Italian Peasant Bread (Biga) Mix 8 to 10 hours before mixing final dough.

Measured Grams Ingredients

1 cup 227 g. Water (room temperature)
-tsp. -tsp. Instant Yeast
cup 72 g. All Purpose Flour (King Arthur, Unbleached,
Unbromated)
cup 81 g. Whole Wheat Flour
cup 41 g. Cornmeal (whole, stone ground)

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, instant yeast, all purpose flour, whole
wheat flour, and cornmeal.
2. Mix with a rubber spatula to combine and then beat well. Scrape down the sides
of the bowl.
3. Cover with plastic wrap (cling film) and let ferment at room temperature 68-74F
(20-23C) for 8 to 10 hours.

Italian Peasant Bread (Final Dough)

Measured Grams Ingredients

2- cups 421 g. Biga (fully fermented)
1 cup 227 g. Water (room temperature)
-tsp. 3 g. Instant Yeast
3- cups 490 g. All Purpose Flour (King Arthur, Unbleached,
Unbromated)
 2 tsp. 16 g. Sea Salt (fine)

Mixing, Kneading, and Fermenting the Dough:

1. Uncover the fermented biga and add the water, instant yeast, and half of the all
purpose flour.
2. Use a rubber spatula to mix the ingredients until a thick batter forms. Beat the
batter until well combined.
3. Add the remaining all purpose flour and sea salt. Fold the ingredient together
using the rubber spatula until the mixture become a shaggy mass.
4. Scrape off the rubber spatula with the plastic scrape. Scrape down the bowl and
turn the dough onto the work surface.
5. Knead the ingredients for 1 minutes to incorporate the ingredients. The dough
will be sticky. Do not add any flour to the work surface.
6. Continue to knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes or until the dough is strong and
elastic. Round the dough into a ball.
7. Spray a bowl with non-stick spray or oil and place the dough into the bowl. Cover
with plastic wrap.
8. Ferment the dough for 1 hour at room temperature.
9. After 1 hour. Lightly flour the work surface. Uncover the dough and turn it onto
the lightly flour work surface.
10. Fold the dough. (See video time stamp: 4:10 4:26)
11. Place the folded dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
12. Ferment the dough 1 hour.
13. After 1 hour. Lightly flour the work surface. Uncover the dough and turn it onto
the lightly flour work surface.
14. Degas and fold the edges of the dough to the center to start to form the dough
into a round shape.
15. Clear the work surface of the flour.
16. Turn the dough over and continue to pre-shape the dough into a tight round. The
seam will be on the bottom.
17. Cover the dough with the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes before the
final shaping.

Pre-heat the oven and baking stone to 500F (260C) for at least 1 hour before
baking the loaf.
Equipment:

Baking Linen or Canvas Baking Cloth 24 x 32 or Large Heavy Cotton Kitchen

Towel
Bakers Lame or Straight Edge Razor
Large Stainless Steel Bowl or Aluminum Pan
Baking Stone 14 x 16 (Old Stone Oven Baking Stone)
-Sheet of Parchment Paper
Bakers Peel/Pizza Peel

Final Shaping and Proofing the Dough:

1. After the 15 minute rest uncover the dough. Lightly flour the top of the round and
turn the dough over onto the work surface with the seam side up.
2. Degas and shape the dough into a oval.
3. Shape the dough into Btard (loaf shape)
4. Lightly flour the canvas baking cloth.
5. Place the Btard seam side up onto the floured canvas and fold each side to
cover the ends of the loaf first. Then fold the remaining canvas to enclose
the Btard. This will keep the loaf from spreading while it is proofing.
6. Proof the loaf for 50 minutes to an 1 hour at room temperature. Check to see if
the dough is ready by the touch test. Lightly press the dough with your finger tip.
The dough should hold the indentation, if the dough should pushes back
completely let it continue to proof until it holds a indentation from your
finger. (See video time stamp: 6:46 6:49)
7. Place the parchment paper onto the baking peel.
8. Uncover the proofed loaf and place it seam side down onto the -sheet of
parchment paper.
9. Use a straight edge razor or sharp knife to cut a long slash from end to end of the
loaf.
10. Slide the loaf onto the 500F (260C) preheated oven onto the baking stone.
Place the large stainless steel bowl over the loaf.
11. Bake the loaf with the bowl over it for 10 minutes.
12. After 10 minutes, remove the bowl using tongs and kitchen hot pads.
13. Reduce the oven temperature to 450F (232C).
 14. Continue to bake the loaf for 20 to 25 more minutes or until the exterior of the
loaf is a deep golden brown. Turn the loaf to get even browning and remove the
parchment paper.
15. Using the peel. Remove the baked Italian Peasant Bread from the oven.
16. Place the baked Italian Peasant Bread onto a cooling rack and cool completely to
room temperature before cutting.
17. Slice the loaf using a serrated bread knife and serve with extra virgin olive oil,
cured meats, olives, and cheeses. The bread makes great toast too!
18. Enjoy!

Note: Store the Italian Peasant Bread in a heavy brown paper bag at room temperature
for up to 3 days. The Italian Peasant Bread can be cut in half, placed into a large freezer
bag, and frozen. Thaw to room temperature before slicing or toasting.
 Basic Italian Bread

Total: 3 hr 26 min

Prep: 35 min

Inactive: 2 hr

Cook: 51 min

Yield: 1 large loaf Italian bread

Level: Intermediate

Ingredients
2 cups water, lukewarm
1 3/4 ounces cake yeast (1/3 cup)
5 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Directions
Place the water and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and allow the
yeast to bloom for about 5 minutes. Using a dough hook attachment, add the
flour and sugar to the water and mix on low speed until a dough starts to
form. Drizzle the oil and salt into the dough and beat on medium speed for 8
to 10 minutes, or until a smooth, firm, elastic dough is formed.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin
coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to
proof in a warm, draft-free place for 11/2 hours or until doubled in size.
Remove the plastic wrap, punch down and flatten the rounded dough with
the heel of your hand. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well after
each roll. The dough should be elongated and oval-shaped, with tapered and
rounded (not pointed) ends.
Preheat the oven lined with a pizza stone to 425 degrees F. Alternately, an
inverted baking sheet may be used in place of a pizza stone.
Place the dough on a baker's peel heavily dusted with semolina flour, or
cornmeal, or alternately on an inverted baking sheet. Allow the dough to
proof, loosely covered with a damp towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in
size. Brush the dough with the egg white and sprinkle the sesame seeds over
the top. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score 3 (1/4-inch deep) slashes
across the top of the dough at a 45 degree angle.
Spray the dough generously with water from a water bottle and place in the
oven on the baking stone. Immediately close the oven and bake for 3
minutes. Open the oven door and spray the dough again with the water
bottle. Close the oven door and bake for an additional 3 minutes before
spraying the dough for a third time (the spraying of the dough will ensure a
crisp golden brown crust). Bake the dough for 45 minutes, or until a hollow
thud is heard when the bread is whacked with the bowl of a wooden spoon.
Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.

Recipe from Emeril Lagase

Italian bread easy recipe

6 cups flour
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups warm water
2 packets rapid rise yeast
1 egg

mix all ingreadents together in a mixer and mix for 5 mins

let dough rise for 1 hour
form into desired size loafs
let dough rise a second time for 1 hour
brush with beaten egg
place in pre heated 400 degrees oven and bake for 20-25 mins and are
golden brown
remove from oven and place on cooling rack and let cool for 25 mins before
cutting