Extra Virgin (32 page)

The culinary reality, however, is true, in that Tuscan food is so flavorful already, due to fresh ingredients and wonderful herbs, that the bread really didn’t need salt. If you must have that bread bite before the pasta arrives, a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt—both readily available at any Tuscan
tavola
(table)—will offer plenty of flavor. But if you wait until you have sauce to soak, that’s when you’ll find the best use for our saltless bread.

To make a pane Pugliese (named after the Puglia region in the boot of Italy, known for their rustic, hearty breads), the adjustment is simple. Just add … salt!

350 grams warm water (80° to 85°F)

120 grams
Bread Starter
or mother dough

500 grams bread flour, plus more for dusting and coating

7 grams salt (for pane Pugliese; optional)

In a large bowl, combine the warm water and starter and, using your hands, break down the starter until the excess water is absorbed completely into the dough.

Add the flour and mix with your hands until a dough forms and there are no lumps. The dough should feel elastic and slightly wet. (If making Pugliese bread, add the salt now and mix well.) Transfer the dough to a plastic container and cover with a cloth. (If you’re working with a mother dough, which is a saved piece of the previous day’s bread dough, remove approximately 120 grams and set it aside in a partially ventilated plastic container. This will be the starter the following day.)

Every 30 minutes, for 2 hours, wet your hands and gently pull the dough away from the sides of the container, toward you, then fold it back inside the container. Let the dough sit for 3 hours, after which the first rise will be complete, and the dough should have grown by one-third to one-half its original volume.

Transfer the dough to a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Using a bench knife (
also known as a dough scraper), mold the dough into a round shape and let it rest for 30 minutes. The dough will relax and look like a deflated ball at this point.

Coat a round, lined proofing basket—called a banetton—with bread flour, or, if using a brand new banetton, a flour mix of 70 percent bread flour and 30 percent semolina. (Semolina flour is very grainy and dry, and it will help prevent the dough from sticking to the sides.)

With the bench knife, flip the dough, then stretch it to about 3 times its original length. Fold it back to its original size, roll it lightly in your hands, and place it in the banetton. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise undisturbed in a warm spot for 3 hours. (An oven with its interior light turned on works quite well, protecting the dough from sudden temperature changes.)

Place a pizza stone and 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven in the oven, and preheat the oven to 500ºF. Once the temperature has been reached, let the pot sit in the oven for 30 minutes longer.

Place a sheet of parchment paper over the banetton, place a pizza peel on top, and gently turn upside down. Carefully remove the banetton to uncover the bread, which should now be resting on the parchment paper–lined pizza peel. Be careful not to rip any potentially sticking dough, especially if using a new banetton. (Ripped dough won’t rise properly in the oven.)

Using a very sharp knife, make 2 or 3 short cuts in the dough along the white flour lines left on the dough by the sides of the banetton.

Gently slide the parchment paper with the dough onto the pizza stone and cover with the overturned cast iron pot. Reduce the temperature to 450ºF. (All ovens are different, so after a trial run, you may determine the heat needs to be higher.)

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cast iron pot. The loaf should be golden in color, with a smattering of dark edges. Bake an additional 20 minutes uncovered, moving the bread occasionally to ensure the loaf bakes evenly on all sides, until the crust looks lightly toasted in color, with a slightly blistered appearance.

Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack, uncovered, for at least 1 hour.

IMPORTANTE!  
When winter hits, the temperature drop really starts to affect the quality of bread rising. So I add another 3 tablespoons warm water, ¼ teaspoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast to the initial mixture of warmed water and starter, and let it act as a stabilizer for this recipe. It helps the bread resist and survive those microclimate changes. In extreme heat, that trick is not necessary, especially if your bread starter is strong.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA SANDWICH
with basil oil

CAPRESE

SERVES 4

D:
When we’re spending time outdoors with the kids during the summer and we want something fresh, light, and flavorful, this sandwich does the trick. Pack the baguette, tomatoes, and mozzarella separately, and you can easily assemble it on the spot so it doesn’t get soggy. Our basil oil is a beautiful dressing, too, and a way to infuse the taste of basil into the bread. Happy picnicking!

2 heirloom tomatoes, cut into 12 slices

Kosher salt

1 large baguette, at least 24 inches long, split lengthwise

3 balls (about 1 pound) fresh mozzarella cheese, thickly sliced

8 fresh basil leaves

Basil Oil (recipe follows), for drizzling

Season the tomatoes with salt, and layer them on the inside of the baguette. Add a layer using all of the mozzarella slices, and top with the basil leaves.

Drizzle with the basil oil and close the baguette. Slice crosswise into 4 sandwiches.

BASIL OIL

MAKES 1 CUP

Leaves from 2 bunches fresh basil

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Set up a bowl with an ice bath. Add the basil leaves to the boiling water and cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until lightly softened. Transfer immediately to the ice bath to prevent further cooking. Drain and let dry.

In a blender, combine the basil and olive oil and blend until smooth. Strain through a strainer lined with cheesecloth into a medium bowl.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the lemon juice right before serving.

Grilled Mozzarella Sandwich

GRILLED MOZZARELLA SANDWICH

MOZZARELLA IN CARROZZA

SERVES 4

G:
This is the Tuscan version of grilled cheese, which my dad often made for me when I was a kid. There’s real pleasure in an eggy sandwich, fried in a way that seals in melted mozzarella. This warm, rustic panino is so beloved where I’m from that you can find it on most restaurant menus in Florence, plated as if it were no less meal-worthy than a bowl of pasta or meat dish.

¾ pound buffalo mozzarella cheese, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices

8 slices
Pane Toscano
, or soft white bread

3 large eggs

½ cup whole milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ cup all-purpose flour, for dusting

Lay one-fourth of the mozzarella between 2 slices of bread and close. Repeat with the remaining bread slices.

In a small shallow baking dish, whisk together the eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Dust 1 sandwich with flour, dip it in the egg mixture, then add it to the pan. Fry about 3 minutes on each side, until the outside is golden and crisp, but not burned, and the mozzarella is completely melted.

Remove the sandwich from the pan, then repeat with the other 3 sandwiches.

Cut each sandwich in half and serve.

SPECK, PECORINO, AND GRILLED EGGPLANT SANDWICH

ZINGARATA CON PANINO

SERVES 4

G:
The term zingarata refers to a carefree car trip out of town with a group of friends, an excursion that might lead you into unexpected adventures. That’s how I see this panino, a rich merging of flavors one might not think to combine—smoky cured meat, wonderfully salty Pecorino, and summery eggplant. It’s a hearty mouthful that will transport you.

1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 12 thin slices

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 (4-inch-wide) slices ciabatta, split lengthwise

¼ pound young Pecorino Toscano cheese, cut into 12 slices

12 slices speck

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until grill-marked and softened. Remove from the heat and transfer to a medium bowl.

To the eggplant bowl, add the garlic, parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste and toss until the eggplant is well coated.

Layer the bottom half of each ciabatta piece with 3 slices Pecorino, 3 slices speck, and 3 slices eggplant. Close each sandwich and press firmly.

SOPPRESSATA AND MARINATED ARTICHOKE SANDWICH

SOPPRESSATA E CARCIOFINI PANINO

SERVES 3

D:
If you have some quality marinated artichokes, preferably the kind simply marinated in olive oil, this panino delivers a punch. Soppressata is a beautifully rustic, richly flavored dry salami that has been enjoyed over the years by nobles and peasants alike. With the marinated artichokes, and a soft, young Pecorino, this is sandwich gold.

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

6 slices
Pane Toscano
or Pugliese bread

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

9 slices soppressata

9 slices young Pecorino (like Cacio di Roma) or Provolone

3 marinated artichokes, thinly sliced

Drizzle olive oil over the 6 slices of bread and season with salt and pepper to taste.

On each of 3 slices of bread, lay 3 slices soppressata, 3 slices Pecorino, and 1 sliced artichoke. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices and serve.