Topic: Tuscan (Salt Free) Bread

[GillE]

I've never made Tuscan bread, but it's mentioned in Richard Bertinet's Crust as being salt-free.  Anyway, here's a link to a recipe I found:

http://www.hub-uk.com/interesting03/tuscan-bread.htm

[Simon]

Another reason to look for a breadmaker!   

[Rik]

Printed, thanks Gill. 

[Clive]

I presume that Tuscan bread is also known as ciabatta bread and I've actually made the dough in the breadmaker but yyou have to finish it off in the oven if you want it to be the correct shape.

[Rik]

Don't think so, Clive, Ciabatta has salt in it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/ciabatta_85453.shtml

[Clive]

A wheelbarrow full of it!  I only put a pinch in mine. 

[Rik]

We tend to favour wholemeal most of the time, with the Wessex Mill Tomato & Garlic being our second favourite.

[Clive]

Trouble is you can't use all wholemeal flour or it just won't rise.   

[Simon]

See, it's all these little technicalities, the subtle flavourings, use of special flours, etc, that makes it all seem too much like hard work.   

[Clive]

My standard recipe is very simple and works every time.  I usually enhance it by adding seeds and substituting half the white for wholemeal flour.  It's very quick and you can freeze it.

[Simon]

I will get round to giving it a go, one day.    Can you make rolls in breadmakers, or is it just loaves?

[GillE]

You can't make rolls in a bread maker, but you can make the dough.

My standard bread recipe is 275ml water, a knob of butter, 450g white bread flour, 1.25 tspn yeast, 1 tspn salt and 1.5 tspn sugar.  Then I sprinkle a few golden linseeds into the seed hopper, set the machine to the right type and options,  and switch it on.  Four hours later, I have a loaf of lovely bread. What could be simpler?

Cutting the bread has always been a problem.  Maurice accuses me of cutting wedges and I know it's not me - it's him.  However, earlier this evening His Lordship reminded me of an electric meat slicer I bought a few years ago.  My next loaf is going to be introduced to it .

[Simon]

So, literally, you just chuck it all in the machine, and leave it?  That's far too easy! 

[GillE]

It's as easy as you want it to be.

I've got an old Hinari machine which I wouldn't dream of using for baking loaves, but it makes smashing pizza dough.  I throw in some chopped chilli flakes and fresh rosemary while it's mixing, then roll it out when it's finished.  I don't like pure tomato sauce on my pizza so I soften some onions, carrots and celery in olive oil, then add a tin of tomatoes and cook until the vegetables are tender.  When it has cooled, I purée it and use that instead of tomato sauce.  Then it's a case of whatever toppings I want to use (usually ham, pineapple and mushrooms plus grated Red Leicester) and into the oven at gas mark 7 for 18 to 20 minutes.

Would that be more of a challenge for you, Simon ?

[Simon]

It is when I can get one out of the freezer.