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Simple (and beautiful) recipes tested by ana

Italian Bread Recipe

Italian Bread Recipe

I had posted this Italian bread recipe a long time ago. Then, while changing hosting service, I lost a lot of my recipes (yes, it happened! And my backups were in my laptop that…had just been formatted!) and, since then, have been promising me (and my dear readers) to re-post them again.

I know I’ve been caught by the new recipes much more and leaving the re-post thing aside. But…here I am! I will try to make at least a re-post a week. Let’s see if I keep with the rhythm…the only risk is that I try a new recipe that I just can’t wait to publish ;-).

Post from July 23rd, 2013:

This Italian bread recipe caught me by its beauty. This flower shaped bread is one of those recipes I do love to prepare. It is easy and simple and gives you so much satisfaction.

It is a simple dough with olive oil that with just a couple of cuts and twists presents you this special final result. It is a pleasure to take it to the table and see your family’s surprised faces.

I prepared the dough this morning, before going out, using my bread machine (it can be knead manually too). I left it inside the oven (turned off) to rise for even too much, as I baked it in the afternoon. Some chefs do not like to leave the yeasts to rest that much. Personally I believe it gives a lighter bread (or pizza). It’s a matter of taste; for the recipe, consider it has to double its size and a couple of hours should be more than enough.

This great recipe is from Paola’s Zenzero e Limone blog, and it is pretty simple to prepare, as you can see from the step by step photos below.

italian-bread-recipe-1 italian-bread-recipe-3

italian-bread-recipe-2

Spread the dough on a lightly floured surface and, with a rolling pin, create a round shape.

italian bread recipe

Place a cup or anything round to cover its center. Brush olive oil on the uncovered bread surface.

italian bread recipe italian bread recipe

Using a sharp knife, cut it in equal petals. I divided it in 4, then each quarter in four more pieces. If you make less cuts you’ll have less and thicker petals.

italian bread recipe

Twist each petal twice.

italian bread recipe

italian bread recipe

Brush with oil the pieces that were down and weren’t brushed before.

italian bread recipe

Spread oil also in the center part.

italian bread recipe

I used a hard paper support to help distributing the poppy seeds without letting them go to the petals.

italian bread recipe

Done! 40 minutes in 180°C/356°F and it’s ready to be eaten! Beautiful, isn’t it?

italian bread recipe

Italian Bread Recipe
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Beautiful sunflower bread
Author:
Recipe type: bread
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 2 cups / 250 g read flour
  • 2 cups / 250 g all purpose flour
  • 1¼ cup / 300 ml lukewarm water
  • 1 Tbsp / 12 g baker's yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ⅕ cup / 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅔ tsp salt
  • extra virgin olive oil to brush
  • flour to roll the dough
  • poppy seeds
Instructions
  1. Melt the yeast in half of lukewarm water, together with sugar.
  2. Dissolve the salt in the other part of water and mix the oil.
  3. Mix the flours and put them into your kneading machine bowl (you can also knead by hand). Add the yeast mixture. Mix it and then add the remaining water with oil.
  4. Knead it until it becomes a uniform dough.
  5. Form a ball and let it rest into a bowl lightly floured covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubles in volume.
  6. Spread the dough on a lightly floured surface and, with a rolling pin, create a round shape.
  7. Place a cup or anything round to cover its center. Brush olive oil on the uncovered bread surface.
  8. Using a sharp knife, cut it in equal petals. I divided it in 4, then each quarter in four more pieces. If you make less cuts you’ll have less and thicker petals.
  9. Twist each petal twice.
  10. Spread oil also in the center part.
  11. I used a hard paper support to help distributing the poppy seeds without letting them go to the petals.
  12. Bake for 40 minutes at 180°C/356°F.
  13. Buon appetito!

 

 



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