There are chefs fond of this or that recipe and chefs – like Philip Sinisgalli of Il Palato Italiano – who instead prefer to talk about methods because they then allow you to know how to move independently without making gross mistakes. He talks about method every day with the guys in his brigade at Palato Italiano, the gourmet club that focuses on the excellence of Italian cuisine, and today he also offers one to Firstonline readers on a preparation that many consider a feat: bread and moreover integral.
Rule number one calls for a mixture by weight of 70% wholemeal flour and 30% white flour. The bran present in the wholemeal, if it is not balanced by a part of white flour, hinders the formation of a good gluten network and therefore of a good dough. The second essential indication concerns the yeast: nit can only be sourdough, which requires a leavening of at least 18 hours, particularly useful in the preparation of wholemeal bread because unrefined flours need more than others to hydrate slowly and deeply. In fact, the strips of bran are thirsty for water, therefore it is advisable to give it already in the preparation phase also thanks to a long leavening. The percentage of sourdough to add to the dough is equal to 30% of the total weight of the flour mixture. At this point the water must be added, which must always be cold from the fridge and, after having measured the total weight of flour and sourdough, add 20% of that weight as a quantity of water. The dough must be kneaded for at least 15 minutes, the ones necessary to develop the gluten mesh mentioned above. In the last two minutes of kneading you can add the salt and, if desired, a fat such as oil or butter. For 1 kg of flour, 7 g of salt and 10 g of oil can be considered.
The dough should never exceed 32°Cotherwise the sourdough will not do its job. After 15 minutes of kneading, the first leavening starts: the mass rests for at least 2/3 hours; in this phase there is no division into shapes and the dough will expand rather than inflate. Deep hydration is underway. At the time of the size it will be better to avoid those less than 5/6 ounces: since it is wholemeal bread, the smaller the piece, the more it will risk being dry.
Two recommendations: sizing and shaping do not involve kneading the mass again and, even if the dough seems sticky, no flour should be added because it would remove the very important liquids mentioned.
The second leavening takes place in a warm and humid environment. Once the home oven has been preheated to 40°C, it must be turned off and opened to let the first hot wave out. It is helpful to put a couple of wet rags or some wet paper on the bottom and then place the shapes to rise. Once the oven is closed, you need to wait a whole night and, the next morning when you open the oven, it will be evident how the leavening has produced heat.
At this point the bread must be "marked"; the operation to be performed with a scalpel or a sharp knifeBetter to use a razor blade instead. Using a dull blade would crush the loaf, jeopardizing the so far leavening.
Heated the oven to 180°C and placed inside a cup of water to ensure the right amount of humidity, arrange the loaves which will finally cook for about 40 minutes. If you have a thermometer, you can confirm that the bread is cooked if, placed in a mould, it registers around 95°C. One last tip: once you have removed the freshly baked loaves, it is better to spray the surface with water, it will help keep the bread softer.
Strict rules aside, Chef Filippo assures us that making bread at home is an emotion and fun that he himself still feels.
