Bread on
Description
Homemade baked goods for tea. The “Leviot Madre” starter is the foundation of Italian breadmaking; it’s used not only for bread but also for pizza and any other baked goods. This starter is easy to make yourself; my starter was cultivated on grapes and has been “living” in my refrigerator for several years. Bread made with this starter is especially tasty. It’s simple to make if you follow this recipe. Of course, this is not the only bread recipe, just one of them. It can be served with tea or coffee.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients.
- 2
Step 2
To prepare the pre‑ferment, mix the starter, 70 ml of water and 2 tablespoons of flour (from the total amount).
- 3
Step 3
Stir the contents of the starter, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot to ferment for 1.5–2 hours.
- 4
Step 4
Over the elapsed time, the starter has increased in volume, and numerous bubbles have appeared.
- 5
Step 5
Pour water into the mixing bowl, add salt, sugar, pour in the starter, and mix until it reaches an emulsion.
- 6
Step 6
Add dry yeast to the flour if you're not sure about the strength of your starter or if you want to bake the bread in a shorter time. In any case, it won't harm the flavor, as the bread's acidity will be lower. You can also omit the dry yeast altogether.
- 7
Step 7
Knead the dough using a mixer with the hook attachment, knead for at least 5 minutes.
- 8
Step 8
Gather the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 2–3 hours.
- 9
Step 9
After the time has passed and the dough has increased in volume by more than twice, you can start shaping the bread.
- 10
Step 10
Dust the work surface of the table with flour, place the dough, smooth it into a sheet with your hands, and fold the corners of the dough down.
- 11
Step 11
Take hold of the formed corner of the dough and fold it toward the center.
- 12
Step 12
Fold the edges of the flatbread toward the center.
- 13
Step 13
Make another turn, rolling it into a “roule,” secure it, and press the seam.
- 14
Step 14
Place the dough piece “seam side up” on a sturdy piece of cloth, well “floured,” make rollers from kitchen towels on the sides, and let the dough proof for 1 hour.
- 15
Step 15
Transfer the risen dough carefully onto a baking sheet seam side down; this can be done using a thin plastic cutting board. Bake the bread for the first 10 minutes at 240 °C, then lower the temperature to 180 °C and bake for another 40–45 minutes.
- 16
Step 16
Let the finished bread cool slightly on a rack, and then it can be served. The Levito Madre sourdough bread turned out crisp, aromatic, porous, and very tasty.