My Favorite French Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
1lb. All Purpose Flour
2lb. Bread Flour
2lb. 1oz. Water
1 oz. Rye Flour
2 oz. Sour Dough Starter
1 oz. Honey
.26 oz. active dry yeast

Directions:
Mix 16 oz. warm water with yeast, starter, honey, rye flour and AP Flour set aside.  In large mixing bowl add Bread Flour and salt, form a well in the center add remaining water (hold back a couple ounces of water and only use if needed to form a nice dough product) also add to the well the original flour and yeast mixture.  Mix until dough is formed and the glutens have created a nice dough structure. 

Place the dough in a large glass or plastic container and set in the fridge overnight.  Two times while in the fridge take the dough out and fold.  Next morning set container out and bring dough to room temperature.  Divide dough into 4 equal pieces or 5 if you want small loafs.  Fold each end to the center and then the sides, place seam side down on floured parchment baking tray and let rise (proof) for two hours. 

Heat oven to 450F, place dough on trays in oven, spay sides and bottom of oven with some water to create steam and immediately turn oven down to 375F.  Bake for 45 minutes turning the bread one time during baking to ensure even baking.  At 30 minutes check the color of the bread if nicely browned turn the oven off and let the bread set in the oven for remaining 15 to 20 minutes.  Set out on baking, cooling racks.  Try to wait until the bread is cool to cut, if you can wait.  Good luck, nothing better than fresh baked bread.

Buon Appetite
Ciao,
James

Sweet Cream Risotto

Gnocci A La Matriciana con Queso de Romano

Ingredients:

700 g  potatoes

200 g  flour

1 egg

salt, pepper and fresh ground nutmeg to taste

Boil potatoes with skin on until tender, remove skins, press through potato press into large bowl, add flour and seasonings to taste.  Combine 1 egg and mix well with hands until dough forms, if too wet and sticky add more flour until a nice dough is achieved.  Let dough set for 30 minutes covered.

Roll out small logs and cut with knife or bench scraper.  Place little pillows (gnocci) on well floured tray with parchment.  Use semolina flour so that the pasta will not stick to the paper.

Boil water, salt, add pasta and boil until the gnocci rises to the top of the water.  This takes anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes max depending on the size of the gnocci pillows.  Remove from water instantly and plate with simple sauce, olive oil and rendered pancetta italian bacon.  Additional crushed red pepper can be added to taste while rendering the bacon for additional heat and flavor.  Top with your favorite grated romano or parmesan cheese and serve.

Buon Appetito

Whole Grain, Nut and Date Sourdough Bread

Whole Grain, Nut and Date Sourdough

This is a recipe that I've come up with combining bread making techniques that I learned in School, Italy and the ultimate bread baking book "Bread".

The sourdough started has dark rye flour to really feed and get the starter to grow.  From there I add to the starter, bread flour, all purpose flour, whole wheat flour and raw rough cut oatmeal.  All ingredients are mixed with just enough water to form a stiff dough.  Last I add the roasted hazelnuts, dates and salt.  

The dough rests and rises for 3-4 hours in batch and then is split into two equal portions, folded and placed in well floured battonets to rise for several more hours.  After 8 to 12 hours of rising the oval shape loafs have doubled in size and are ready to be scored and baked.  They bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes at which time the oven is turned off and the loafs stay in the oven to properly dry, until the oven is cooled.