On Fri, 04 Jun 2004 20:31:09 -0400, Ol' Joe Stony
wrote:

Hi all.

I grew up around the Boston area fed on the most amazing Italian bread.
We called it "scali" bread, but I don't know if that is an authentic
name.

The bread slices were a flat oval shape, about 8-10 inches wide by 4-5
inches tall, topped with sesame seeds. There was no braiding from what I
can recall. And it had amazing flavor, unlike the flavorless knock-off
scali bread that the local supermarket bakery sells. The texture was
fluffy and chewy with a crisp crust.

I would like to find a recipe that would create this type of bread. I
have searched online and found only a couple of recipes that are just
not in the same category. One seems close (pane siciliano) but I haven't
secured all the ingredients yet to test it.

If anyone who is familiar with this bread can provide a true and
accurate recipe, and your experiences in making it, I would be extremely
thankful.


-Ol' Joe


Someone asked about this loaf on alt. bread recipes about 5-6 months
ago & a link was posted:
http://www.goodcooking.com/italiabr.htm

And here is another:

http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-...6/295435.shtml

I cannot vouch for either, as I would not know how to judge the bread,
but perhaps one will help get you what you seek.

Boron

"Ol' Joe Stony"
The bread slices were a flat oval shape, about 8-10 inches wide by 4-5
inches tall, topped with sesame seeds.

If this bread is the same of the photo, it is "sicilian bread".
http://info.supereva.it/teresa313/siciliano.gif
and I can give you an autentic italian recipe.
(sorry for my bad English but I'm italian and I don't write english very
well. :-/)
Best regards.

--
http://www.gennarino.org
http://www.gennarino.org/forum/
Meglio muri' sazio 'ca campa' a dijuno

icq 325215944

Thanks for the replies...yes, please post the recipe you have. I will
try them all and report back my findings. Many thanks!

That picture looks fantastic. Please, can you post the recipe for us to try
as well?

Thanks!

"Ol' Joe Stony"

Thanks for the replies...yes, please post the recipe you have. I will
try them all and report back my findings. Many thanks!

I'm very happy to give you the recipe of this bread (do you knov his
traditional name? It's "mafalda") but I have my recipes only in italian
and it's difficult for me translate. So, I copy now the italian recipe:
if you don't understand italian, I will try to translate it tomorrow,
when I'll be less tired than now.
Excuse me. :-)
Ingredienti per 8 persone:

g 350 di farina di semola di grano duro
g 150 di farina 00
g 300 circa di acqua
g 20 di lievito di birra
Un cucchiaino raso di malto d'orzo
2 cucchiai di olio extravergine d'oliva
g 10 di sale
Semi di sesamo



Pane ad impasto diretto

In una ciotola, versare la metà dell'acqua, sbriciolarvi il lievito di birra
e farlo sciogliere. Unire parte della farina di semola di grano duro e la
farina 00. Impastare un poco con la punta delle dita e, appena la farina è
ben incorporata, unire il sale e il malto. Cominciare a battere, sollevando
la pasta con la mano dal fondo verso l'alto, rovesciandola di nuovo nella
ciotola e, sempre battendo, unire il resto della farina e dell'acqua
alternandoli. Continuare a battere finché l'impasto si staccherà dalle
pareti e la consistenza risulterà non troppo morbida.

- Rovesciare la pasta sul piano di lavoro leggermente infarinato e seguitare
a lavorare battendola per dieci minuti, incorporando più aria possibile per
facilitare la lievitazione. Raccogliere a palla, disporla in una ciotola
unta con l'olio e far riposare per un'ora finché lievitando avrà raddoppiato
il suo volume.

- Rimetterla sul tavolo, lavorarla nuovamente, quindi tagliare la pasta a
metà e ottenere due palle. Con una di queste, formare un filone, inciderne
la superficie con due o tre tagli trasversali, spennellarlo con l'acqua e
appoggiare la parte bagnata su un vassoio con uno strato abbondante di semi
di sesamo. Formare con l'altra palla di pasta un secondo filone lungo e
sottile, quindi realizzare con le mani una serpentina (foto 1)

- Poco prima di arrivare alla fine del filoncino sollevare l'ultima parte,
passandola sulla serpentina stessa e fissare l'estremità (foto 2).
Spennellare con l'acqua e adagiare la parte bagnata sui semi di sesamo (foto
3 e 4).

- Disporre i due filoni su una teglia (foto 5) e lasciar nuovamente
lievitare per circa un'ora e mezza. Cuocerli in forno a 210°C per quindici
minuti, poi abbassare la temperatura a 190-200°C e continuare la cottura per
altri dieci minuti. Infine mettere il pane sulla griglia e cuocere per altri
quindici-venti minuti.

Here, the photos:
http://www.cucinaevini.it/frameset2...._tipologie.asp

Hope this is an help. :-)
Ps. if you like italian bread, you will find many traditional recipes on
my website, with many photos step by step
http://www.gennarino.org/pane.htm

--
http://www.gennarino.org
http://www.gennarino.org/forum/
Meglio muri' sazio 'ca campa' a dijuno

icq 325215944

"RobertE"
That picture looks fantastic. Please, can you post the recipe for us to
try
as well?

Thanks!

I hope you are able to read italian: if is so, I'll be very happy to help
you, if I can.
(sorry for my bad english:-/)
Hello!

--
http://www.gennarino.org
http://www.gennarino.org/forum/
Meglio muri' sazio 'ca campa' a dijuno

icq 325215944

Boron Elgar
Date: 6/4/2004 9:30 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

On Fri, 04 Jun 2004 20:31:09 -0400, Ol' Joe Stony
wrote:

Hi all.

I grew up around the Boston area fed on the most amazing Italian bread.
We called it "scali" bread, but I don't know if that is an authentic
name.

The bread slices were a flat oval shape, about 8-10 inches wide by 4-5
inches tall, topped with sesame seeds. There was no braiding from what I
can recall. And it had amazing flavor, unlike the flavorless knock-off
scali bread that the local supermarket bakery sells. The texture was
fluffy and chewy with a crisp crust.

I would like to find a recipe that would create this type of bread. I
have searched online and found only a couple of recipes that are just
not in the same category. One seems close (pane siciliano) but I haven't
secured all the ingredients yet to test it.

If anyone who is familiar with this bread can provide a true and
accurate recipe, and your experiences in making it, I would be extremely
thankful.


-Ol' Joe


Someone asked about this loaf on alt. bread recipes about 5-6 months
ago & a link was posted:
http://www.goodcooking.com/italiabr.htm

And here is another:

http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-...6/295435.shtml

I cannot vouch for either, as I would not know how to judge the bread,
but perhaps one will help get you what you seek.

Boron


The two links are the same recipe - I assume the first is the original.

I have never seen a recipe where you only rise the sponge for 20 minutes. Can
that possibly be right?

It certainly would not enhance the flavor with no time for fermentaton.