This is an italian recipe for one of my favourite types of bread: pane sfogliato, meaning puff pull-apart bread. It is prepared with the BIGA method, which makes it very easy to digest and fluffy and light to eat. I used it to prepare some beautiful warm panini for dinner.
Time of preparation
30/40 minutes plus rest (3.5/5 hours) and cooking (30 minutes)
Ingredients
For the Biga:
- 50 g whole wheat flour
- 30 g water
- 2 g fresh yeast
Dough ingredients:
- 250 g whole wheat flour
- 125 g water
- 10 g fresh yeast
- 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 g salt
- biga
- 30 g extra-virgin olive oil, to brush
How did I do
I mixed well all the biga-ingredients and let rise until doubled (it will depend on the temperature and humidity of the room, but with 15/20 degrees C outside, in my kitchen it took about 1 and a half hour)
I combined all the dough-ingredients and kneaded to obtain a smooth dough.
I shaped a 20 cm log, covered and let rise 30 minutes.
I floured the table and rolled the dough in a 20×50 cm rectangle. I brushed with 15 ml olive oil.
I folded the top quarter to the middle,then the other quarter, to the middle, and folded again. I got 4 layers.
I pinched the edges, floured again and rolled a 60×40 cm rectangle.
I brushed with 15 ml olive oil.
I rolled into a log, starting on the short side.
I placed the same side down.
I made 2 deep cuts (about 1/3-1/2 of the height of the loaf), leaving un-cutted 3 cm to sides and another 3 cm in the middle.
I brushed with oil and let rise until doubled in bulk (another 2 hours).
I baked for 30-35 minutes at 200°C.
I served warm, waiting for a few minutes just to be able to cut it and fill it.
Buon appetito!
Thanks!