Country Bread

How carefully you shaped the dough directly affects the interior of country bread. I didn't do a great job for this one, I know the holes could have been more, bigger, and evenly distributed. Anyway, the result is still terrific, can beat all of those from supermarkets (well, it isn't difficult), and rival to the excellent Italian bakery in my town (I live in a sort of Italian community). I've even planned out a wonderful menu on how to use my days-old bread... soup! Weeks ago I made Sher's butternut squash soup and Tuscan minestrone for my mother-in-law, they were so good that I couldn't resist; secretly kept some for myself! Then yesterday I was all geared up to assemble my "happy meal"... cored out the bread's center, and used that for home-made croutons (from Sher's as well). Opened the freezer looking for the soup... huh? Where were they? Called my husband *blushed*. "Oh, they're for Mom, aren't they? *blushed more* She enjoyed your soup a lot! I think you really made her very happy as she told me she's going to make you brasciloe! (Italian beef roll-up, see photo below)" Oh mine! My mother-in-law has stopped cooking something elaborated recently, so receiving her brasciloe is as difficult as receiving university's first honored degree!

Country bread recipe (Adapted In Nonna's Kitchen)

1. Starter: 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 1/4 cup lukewarm water, 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbps lukewarm water, 2 1/2 cups high gluten flour (I only recommend King Arthur' brand for those of you living in the States)
2. Dough: 1 1/2 tsps active dry yeast, 1/4 cup lukewarm water, 2 1/3 cups lukewarm water, 5 1/2 cups high gluten flour, 1 Tbp salt

Directions:

1. To prepare starter: Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining water and flour, 1 cup at a time, for 4 minutes if by hand. Place the starter in a large lightly oiled bowl, cover, let it rise at cool room (my temp is 40F) for 2 days.
2. To make the dough: Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes. Soak the starter in the 2 1/3 cups water, break it up into tiny pieces by hand. Stir in the yeast water. Stir in the salt and flour, 2 cups at a time.
3. Knead the dough until silky and elastic, it's a fairy wet dough, but don't be tempted to add too much flour, otherwise your final bread will be dense and dry.
4. First rise: place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise until it has tripled (my room temperature is 75F), about 3 hours.
5. Shaping and second rise: Don't punch the dough, all the bubbles are your buddy! The dough will be sticky, prepare flour. Divide into 3 pieces, moisten your hand (wet hands don't stick to wet dough), gently flatten each piece as square as possible, roll it up (about 1+1/2 rolls), turn the dough 90 degrees, roll up again. Shape each piece into a ball by rolling the dough between your cupped hands (don't over do it otherwise the bubbles in the bottom will be pressed), I say rocking the balls not more than 5 seconds.
6. Place the round doughs on the back of large baking sheet (preferable dark colored). Cover with cling wrap (pre-greased), let rise until double (my room is 75F) about an hour. Place a baking stone in oven, preheat the oven to 500F for at least half an hour.
7. Baking: Lower the oven temperature to 450F, throw in three ice cubes and shut the door right away. A minute later place the baking sheet directly on the baking stone. After 10 minutes, (do this step very quick), one hand holding a big spatula, the other hand open the oven door, lift up the baking sheet, push the bread directly on the stone with the aid of spatula, take out the the sheet, shout the oven door. Continue to bake until the bread golden brown. The total baking time is about 35 minutes. Cool on racks

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