bread baking challenge #29: PUGLIESE BREAD

PUGLIESE BREAD / paine italiana din sud

Pugliese bread (#29) is in the same category as Ciabatta (#7), they are RUSTIC bread.

http://ilibili.blogspot.com/2012/02/pre-fermenters-used-in-bread-baking.html

One difference is geographical: Pugliese originated in the south of Italy (Puglia), and Ciabatta originated in the north of Italy (Lombardia).

The main distinction is in the shape: Pugliese is round shaped, and Ciabatta is elongated, as a “slipper” from where is the name coming.


One day before making this bread we make 2 cups “biga” (the Italian word for “pre-ferment”): 2c and ½ flour+1/2 tsp yeast+3/4 warm water. Make a nice kneaded dough, leave it at room temp to rise, and keep it overnight in the refrigerator.


Next day, cut “biga” in small pieces, to warm a little at room temp, and add  in an electric mixer  the rest of ingredients:

       2c and ¼ flour
       1 and ½ tsp salt
        1tsp yeast
        1c and ½ warm water
add OPTIONALlY: ¼ cup smashed boiled potato ( tenderize the bread because of potato' starch).

The dough will be more sticky, to the touch, than silky. Use a lot of flour to shape.

Shape it elongated, mist it with olive oil, fold it in a tree, cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes. at room temp.

 

Repeat these steps:  shaping, oil, resting, 3 times ( 90 minutes).

Oil a large bowl, transfer the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave 90 minutes to room temp, to double in size.

Cut in 2 pieces, shape into 2 “boules”, round, neat, tucked under, mist with oil/water, and spread with flour/corn meal.


Cover with plastic and leave at room temp for about 2h, until double in size.

We should prepare the oven: at 500F, and add a pan to the bottom of the oven.


Keep the bread there for 10-15 minutes, lower the temp to 450F and bake for 20-25 minutes more, until the bread temp reaches 200F, in the middle of it.

Remove the loaves from the oven and cool them on a rack.  Cut slices after it cools down.

The result is very crispy outside and extremely soft and moist, inside. a wonderful Italian, white bread.

ROUMANIAN:
Pugliese, sau paine italiana este o paine rustica, asa cum e si Ciabatta bread. Aceste doua paini, sint asemanatoare, diferenta e ca una, Ciabatta, e originara din nordul Italiei (Lombardia)iar cealata provine din Sudul Italiei, din regiunea Puglia. Se deosebesc si ca forma: pugliese este o paine rotunda, Ciabata are o forma de "papuc de casa " ovala si plata.