Pane sciocco is also called Pane Toscano, or Tuscan bread, outside Tuscany. It’s a variety of bread commonly found in Tuscany, Umbria and Marche, (three Italian regions). “Sciocco” means “without salt” but is also a synonym for “silly” in Italian.
What distinguishes it the most is the fact of being completely free from salt. The hard crust outside and the soft inside. Commonly made using mother yeast, in this simplified version we just use a batter, let sit to raise for 12 hours instead.
The unsalted bread is often used as croutons or small slices or dices of bread baked, roasted or fried. The croutons are served mostly as a starter, along with cold meats or fish, or as an accompaniment to soups and pasta dishes.
I really love it as an appetizer in the form of Bruschetta, topped with various ingredients like veggies, fresh cut Italian charcuterie, cheese, etc.
Ingredients:
3 cups of Flour
1 cup of Water
2 Tbps of Active Yeast
1 spoon of Honey
Reserve for the Batter:
1 cup of Flour
1/3 cup of Water (better filtered)
3 1/4 tsp of active yeast
How to make the Pane Toscano (simple Tuscan bread):
First we need to prepare a batter.
- Melt the yeast in the water, then put the flour in a bowl and then add the water mixed with the yeast and mix with your hands or you can help yourself with a spoon. You want to create a nice and smooth soft dough. If you have it, you could help yourself with a mixer, putting the ingredients inside the mixer bowl and let the machine mix it for you.
- When the dough is created, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit to raise for 12h. It’s good to do this process in the evening so you can let it sit while you are sleeping. The dough needs to double in size.
We can proceed now to making the bread.
- In another (bigger) bowl add the rest of the ingredients, put the flour, melt the yeast and the honey in the water, and start to mix. When the dough is formed add the batter and mix it good by hands or using a mixer.
- Shape the dough as you like with your hands: round, or oval.
- Take an oven tray, cover it with parchment paper and put the dough over it.
- Coat the dough with some olive oil.
- With a knife cut the top of the dough to help it raise..
- Let it sit for one hour covered with a kitchen cloth
- Put it in the oven and cook it for 45 minutes at 320 degrees.
- 3 cups of Flour
- 1 cup of Water
- 2 tbps of Active Yeast
- 1 spoon of Honey
- 1 cup of Flour
- 1/3 cup of Water (better filtered)
- 3 1/4 tsp of active yeast
- First we need to prepare a batter.
- Melt the yeast in the water, then put the flour in a bowl and then add the water mixed with the yeast and mix with your hands or you can help yourself with a spoon. You want to obtain a nice and smooth soft dough. If you have it, you could help yourself with a mixer, putting the ingredients inside the bowl and let the machine mix it for you. When the dough is created, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit to raise for 12h. It's good to do this process in the evening so you can let it sit while you are sleeping.
- The dough has to double the size.
- In another (bigger) bowl add the rest of the ingredients, put the flour, melt the yeast and the honey in the water, and start to mix. When the dough is formed add the batter and mix it good by hands or using a mixer.
- Shape the dough as you like with your hands: round, or oval...
- Take an oven tray, cover it with parchment paper, put the shaped dough on it.
- Coat the dough with some olive oil and cover it with a kitchen towel. Let it sit for one hour.
- Put it in the oven and cook it for 45 minutes at 320 degrees.
- Before to put it in the oven, you could cover the dough with flour. It will give a rough look to the bread.
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