I’ve been playing around with a new bread formula.
It’s a lower hydration (69%) version of my ciabatta con semola rimacinata di grano duro, and it’s proven (no pun intended) to be a good base dough for shaping.
- 300g active sourdough starter (fed at a ratio of one cup water to one cup flour)
- 580g cold water
- 500g bakers/bread flour
- 500g Semola Rimacinata di Grano Duro (remilled durum wheat semolina flour)
- 18g fine sea salt
Note: don’t be tempted to use fine or coarse semolina instead of remilled semolina (durum wheat) flour – the former is too coarse and won’t absorb enough water, and you’ll end up with a soggy mess. If you can’t find the rimacinata, substitute more bread flour or 00 flour in its place and reduce the water to 550g.
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I’ve been experimenting with a new shape, inspired by this photo sent to me by my friend Anna in Paris. It’s known as La Sarmentine – a sarmenteux is a climbing plant, and Anna thinks the name might be related to that.
The bread is made by shaping a long baguette and then using scissors to cut a slit into the ends of each loaf to allow them to be separated into “ears”. I was really happy with the crumb…
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Also, inspired by Brydie’s quest, I’ve used this dough to make Italian style rolls. After half a dozen phone calls, I finally tracked down a rosetta stamp at Chefs’ Warehouse (and I’m still wondering why I didn’t just call them first!).
The dough was shaped into 125g balls, before being imprinted with the cutter. Each batch of dough made 15 rolls…
Shape the bulk proved dough into a tight ball first, then dust the top well with rye flour and stamp hard – right through to the bottom of the ball. Dip the cutter into rye flour before each press, and allow the rolls to prove a second time before baking. I didn’t manage to achieve a hollow centre, but Small Man did declare at dinner that he thought these were my “best breads ever”…
I now own three cutters – the rosetta stamp, plus a couple of German made metal ones which were a gift from the lovely Chris (who is not cranky, despite what his girls call him)…
I haven’t had much success with the small metal star-shaped one yet, but the spiral one has produced amazing rolls, which look like small sculptures…
This new dough recipe has been very popular – we’ve had the neighbours over filling large paper bags with rolls for school lunches…
Playing with bread is always such fun – thanks Brydie, Anna and Chris for inspiring this latest baking adventure!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 