Tuscan Bread
The first time you try Tuscan bread, it feels like someone must be playing a joke. This bland-tasting, pale-crusted bread surely can’t be right. But Tuscan bread it is! In fact, the bread is (quite deliberately) missing one key ingredient.
Tuscan bread is intentionally made without or with very little salt. Tuscan bread not only lacks depth of flavour without salt, the crust also doesn’t brown and the structure is much more delicate.
Salt-less Tuscan bread is really not intended for eating on its own. It’s usually served along with the main meal and is meant for sopping up thick, rich sauces. The bread doesn’t compete with the flavours in the dish, and both are enhanced.
1st Fermentation
35 g yeast
1 Tbsp flour
125 ml lukewarm water
1250 g flour
500 ml lukewarm water
pinch of salt
Method
1
1st fermentation – Dissolve the yeast in 125 ml lukewarm water. Add 1 tablespoon flour and leave to rise.
2
Place the flour in the bowl of a mixer, add the fermented mixture and the remaining 500 ml water. Add a little more water if necessary to get a soft but not sticky dough.
3
Mix all together and knead for 5 -10 minutes to a small ball.
4
Shape into an oblong and wrap in a cloth dusted with flour, leave to rise for 1 hour.
5
Carefully remove the bread from the cloth and place in a baking tray dusted with flour.
6
Bake in an oven, preheated at 180°C for about 50 minutes.
Rose Water and Pistachio Meringues
Ingredients
half a lemon
200 g egg white
400 g castor sugar
rose water, to taste
50 g chopped pistachio nuts
Method
Preheat an oven to 110 C and line a baking tray with grease proof paper.
Rub the bowl of an electric mixer with half a lemon to ensure it is grease free.
Place the egg whites in the bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until the whites become thick and frothy. Add the sugar, a little at a time, until well incorporated and dissolved before adding the next batch. Once all the sugar has been mixed in and the egg whites are thick and glossy, add the rose water to taste.
Pipe or place spoonfuls of the meringue on the baking tray. Sprinkle over the chopped pistachios and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 100 C and bake for a further 1 hour and 30 minutes. Once the meringues lift easily off the paper, they are done. Turn off the oven and leave to cool down.
Serve the meringues with whipped cream and a selection of summer fruits.