Pugliese Bread

If you are making homemade bread or rolls for Thanksgiving, consider making Pugliese bread.  It does take a bit longer, but it is not difficult and the results are worth it.  If you have ever had REALLY good bread--crunchy crust, soft and chewy inside--you'll appreciate the final result of this easy bread.  But, you have to start it a day early!

First, make a Biga--an Italian starter--the day or night before you want the bread to be served.

You'll need:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 1/2 cups warm (not hot) water
1/4 teaspoon yeast

Mix these ingredients together in a large bowl (or stand mixer), then beat for a minute or two.  It will look like batter, not dough--this is what you want.

Set the Biga aside and cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap.  Leave overnight (not in the refrigerator).  It should be all bubbly the next morning.

The next day, it's time to make the bread.  Start at least 4 hours before serving time.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Biga--stir it to deflate it before measuring (if you have leftovers, refrigerate up to a week for another use)
4 - 5 cups bread flour (you can substitute all purpose flour if you have no bread flour)
1 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups of warm water

Sift together the flour and yeast.  Add the water, olive oil, and salt. Stir in the 1 1/2 cups of the biga.  Mix well. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time if you need until you have a soft dough. The dough will be a bit sticky and wet--that is how it should be--but it should form a ball.

Stir or knead for about 10 minutes.  Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an hour or two, then stir or punch down.

Let it rise again for an hour or more (the repeated risings improve the texture of the bread).  Punch down.

With floured hands, form the dough into 2 loaves and place on a onto parchment paper lined or lightly sprayed baking sheet.  Generously grease or spray some plastic wrap and place it loosely on the loaves, greased side down. Let rise for at least an  hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place an empty pie pan on the lowest oven rack and fill with a handful of ice cubes.  Sounds strange, I know, but it will make steam which makes a crispier crust and a higher rise.

Gently remove the plastic wrap and put the baking sheet into the preheated oven.  Bake  for 40-50 minutes, or until the leaves are browned and sound hollow when tapped.

Cool on a wire rack for a bit before serving. This bread has a chewy interior that is perfect for simply buttering, or for dipping in herbed olive oil.