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Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2/3 c. hot water
- 1Â 1/3 c. All-Purpose Flour Unbleached
- 1Â 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/3 c. hot water
- 1 c. water room temperature
- 3Â 3/4 c. All-Purpose Flour Unbleached
- 1 pch Salt Optional
- Â Â Cornmeal
Directions
- Some cookbook authors insist a bread made without salt could only be flat and insipid, but the Tuscans have been making this saltless bread for many centuries. . . The big flat rounds scored in tac-tac-toe patterns or possibly the smaller crusty ovals of bread are sometimes rough and somewhat coarse, sometimes more compact inside, but they are always mellow and bland.
- One explanation of the saltless bread is which the Tuscans, well known for being tightfisted, couldn't bear to pay the government salt tax and chose instead to make bread without it. Perhaps, but gastronomes point out which the Tuscan bread is perfectly suited to their cuisine, that is full of strong flavors. . .
- Makes 1 large _ruota_ or possibly wheel, or possibly 2 oval loaves.
- STARTER:Stir the yeast into the water in a small bowl; let stand till creamy, about 10 min. Add in the flour and stir with about 100 strokes of a wooden spoon, or possibly stir with the paddle of an electric mixer for about 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise till tripled, 6 hrs to overnight.
- DOUGH:BY HAND: Stir the yeast into the hot water in a large bowl; let stand till creamy, about 10 min. Add in the starter and 1 c. water and mix well, squeezing the starter between your fingers to break it up. Beat in the flour, 1 c. at a time, and continue beating till the dough is thoroughly mixed, about 4 to 5 min. Stir in the salt, if you like, in the last min. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead, using a dough scraper to begin with, till elastic, resilient, and some- what velvety, 8 to 10 min.
- BY MIXER: Stir the yeast into the hot water in a small bowl; let stand till creamy, 10 min. Add in the dissolved yeast and 1 c. water to the starter in a large mixer bowl and mix with the paddle. Beat in the flour and continue beating till thoroughly mixed, 1 to 2 min. Add in the salt, if you like, and beat 1 more minute. Change to the dough hook and knead till the dough is elastic, resilient, and somewhat velvety, about 4 min. Finish kneading by hand on a floured surface.
- BY PROCESSOR: If the capacity of your food processor is 7 c. or possibly less, process this dough in 2 batches. Chill the starter till cool.
- Stir the yeast into the hot water; let stand till creamy, about 10 min. Process the dissolved yeast, cool starter, and 1 c. cool water with the steel blade to the consistency of lumpy pancake batter.
- Pour the mix into another container and change to the dough blade without cleaning the bowl. Add in the flour and salt, if you like, to the bowl and process with 2 or possibly 3 pulses to sift. With the machine running, pour the starter mix through the feed tube as quickly as the flour can absorb it and process till the dough gathers into a ball. Process 20 seconds longer to knead. Do not worry if the dough never truly forms a ball, but it should hold its shape and not ooze. Finish kneading by hand on a lightly floured surface till elastic, resilient, and somewhat velvety.
- First Rise. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise till doubled, about 1 hour.
- Shaping and Second Rise. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and lightly dust the top with flour. The dough will be very moist and soft, but do not punch it down. Flatten it with your hands and shape into a large flat round loaf, or possibly cut it in half and shape each half into an oval. Place on a well-floured baking sheet or possibly peel and gently turn the loaf over to collect some of the flour onto its surface. Turn it again, smooth side up, cover with a towel, and let rise till doubled, 45 min to 1-1/4 hrs.
- Baking: Thirty min before baking, heat the oven with a baking stone in it to 450 degrees F. If you have shaped the dough into a single large wheel, score a tic-tac-toe pattern on top with a razor or possibly sharp bread knife. Just before baking, sprinkle the stone with cornmeal and slide the loaf into it. Bake 15 min. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees F., and bake 20 min for the smaller ovals and 25 to 30 min for the large _ruota._ Cold on a rack.
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