Subject: Pane Campagnola
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Sat Sep 09 2000 - 03:11:38 EDT
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F O O D F U N N Y
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Here's a good one from a fellow calling himself "Metajohn from the
Metaphysical Grill":
A June bride asked her husband to copy the radio menu one morning.
The husband did his best, but got two stations at once. One was
broadcasting morning exercises and the other the recipes. This is
what he got:
"Hands on hips, place one cup of flour on shoulders, raise knees,
depress toes and wash roughly in one-half cup of milk. In four counts
raise and lower legs and wash two hard boiled eggs in a sieve. Repeat
six times. Inhale one-half teaspoon of baking powder, one cup of
flour, then breath naturally. Exhale and sift. Attention - jump to a
position and bend whites of eggs backwards and forwards. Arms
forward, overhead, raise the cooked egg in flour and in four counts
make stiff dough. Lie flat in flour and roll into marbles, size of
walnuts. Hop to straddle in boiling water, but do not boil at a
gallop. After ten minutes, remove and wipe with a dry towel. Breath
deeply. Dress in warm flannels and serve with fish soup.
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T O D A Y ' S R E C I P E
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This natural yeast bread may take some experimenting to get just right
because conditions vary from place to place, but once you've mastered
the process you probably won't want to bake bread any other way.
Pane Campagnola (Country-Style Sourdough Bread)
For the starter:
1 cup (250 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) bread flour
For the loaf:
3 cups (750 ml) water
1 Tbs (15 ml) sea salt
7 - 8 cups (1.75 - 2 L) bread flour
Mix 1/4 cup (60 ml) water with 1/2 cup (125 ml) flour in a small bowl
until all the water is absorbed by the flour. Transfer to a floured
work surface and knead until the dough forms a smooth, slightly sticky
ball. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours. It should rise
slightly and have a slightly acidic aroma. Add an additional 1/4 cup
(60 ml) water and 1/2 cup (125 ml) flour and repeat. Repeat this
process for two more days. Each day the dough should rise more and
have a slightly more acidic aroma. If the dough turns grey or
develops an unpleasant odor, discard it and begin again.
On the fifth day transfer the starter to the bowl of an electric mixer
and add 1 cup (250 ml) water. Mix at the lowest speed until the water
is completely incorporated into the batter. Add the remaining 2 cups
(500 ml) water and the salt, beating at the slowest speed until
thoroughly mixed. The mixture should be very thin and bubbly. Add
the flour a little at a time, beating constantly, until the dough
forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead at the
slowest speed for 5 minutes.
Pinch off about 1 cup (250 ml) of the dough and reserve as the starter
for the next loaf. Form the remaining dough into a ball, place it on
a baking sheet, and cover it with a cloth. Allow to rise for 6 to 12
hours, or until it has doubled in size. Slash the top of the dough
several times with a razor blade and place the baking sheet in a
preheated 500F (260C) oven. Bake for 15 minutes and reduce the
temperature to 425F (220C). Bake an additional 30 to 45 minutes,
until the crust is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Cool on a baking rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. Makes 1
loaf.
The reserved starter may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1
week. To keep it "alive," add 1/4 cup (60 ml) water and 1/2 cup (125
ml) flour weekly.
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