Source: Flavors of Tuscany by Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Makes 16 servings.
Preparation time: 48 hours
Tips: Makes good sandwich bread. Use 1/2 for bread, 1/2 focaccia
Tuscan Bread
Country-style loaves or Focaccia
Ingredients
Preparation
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
warm or very warm water, as necessary
9 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons salt, see note 1
1. Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup very warm water in a small bowl. Set aside until the yeast turns creamy.
2. Put 2 cups of the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the middle, and pour in the yeast mixture. Pull in a little flour from the sides to be absorbed in the liquid, then gradually mix in another cup of very warm water. Using a wooden spoon, mix the flour and water together to a thick slurry. Sprinkle another cup of flour over the top, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a cool place to rise for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
3. Next day add 1 cup whole-wheat flour and the salt mix together, 1 cup very warm water, and 1 cup white flour. Mix, kneading slightly in the bowl with your hands or spatula - the dough will be quite sticky - just enough to combine the liquid and flours thoroughly. Set aside again, covered, to rise for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
4. Next day, stir in 1 1/2 cups water. Work in the remaining 5 cups of white flour, leaving a little flour unmixed to spread on a board or work surface. Turn the dough onto the floured board and knead for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dough is silky, springy, and has lost its stickiness. You may use a electric mixer for part of the process finishing by hand.
5. Turn the well-kneaded dough into a clean bowl (you may rub a very little olive oil around the bowl if you wish to keep the dough from sticking to the sides), cover again with plastic wrap, and this time set in a warm place, near the stove or on top of the refrigerator, to rise and more than double- about 2 to 3 hours.
6. If you are using a baking stone, set it in the oven and turn the oven on to 450 F degrees. Turn the fully risen dough out of its bowl onto a lightly floured board, punch it down, knead briefly, and form the dough into two (2 lbs.) loaves or four (1 lb.) loaves. Set the loaves on a board dusted with semolina or corn meal to rise for about 45 minutes while the oven heats. Cover lightly with linen cloth or dampened kitchen towel.
7. When ready to bake, transfer a loaf to a wooden peel sprinkled with semolina or cornmeal. Using a very sharp knife, slash the loaf with either two longitudinal slashes or 3 shorter diagonal slashes. Open the oven door and quickly shift the loaf to the baking stone, leaving room for both loaves. Repeat with the second loaf. If you are not using a baking stone, set the loaves for their final rising on a baking sheet lightly strewn with semolina or cornmeal. Cover as above and let rise. Slash as above just before sliding the baking sheet into the oven. For 2 lbs. loaf use one sheet per loaf. For 1 lbs. loaf place 2 loaves per sheet. Loaves about double size during baking.
8. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 F, then lower the temperature to 350 F and continue baking another 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bread is nicely browned and feels a little hollow when knock it with your fist. Remove the bread to cool on a rack before slicing.
FOCACCIA VARIATION: (follow steps 1. 2. & 3. then...)
4. After second rising, turn the dough into a floured board , punch it down , knead briefly, and smooth the dough out with your hands into a rectangular shape, stretching the edges gently. Transfer the dough into a oiled pan, stretching it to meet the edges of the pan.
5. Using your fingers dimple the dough all over in an irregular pattern. Drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough, letting it run over the top and pool into the dimples. Then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or lose cover and set aside to rise while your preheat the oven.
6. Set the oven at 425 F degrees. Let preheat for about 30 minutes. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crisp. REMOVE from the oven, cut in squares, and serve immediately.
The IDEAL focaccia should not be more than 3/4 inch thick after baking.
NOTES : 1) Original recipe calls salt as optional however, the family prefers the bread with the salt included.
2) Use 1/2 recipe for bread loaves and 1/2 recipe for Focaccia, see variation.
Makes 2 (2.5 lbs.) large loaves or 4 (1 lb. approx) medium loaves.
