Tuscan Bread At Home: Our Recipe
On every Tuscan table, is the bread basket. Slices of plain white, saltless bread is a tradition here. The reason behind the lack of salt is rumored to be because of an imposed tax centuries ago, but has grown to be appreciated by locals who prefer it to saltier versions. Best eaten fresh, you can make your own at home this winter with our recipe. The importance is the crust, and in order to do it right, you need to allow the bread to have two risings then bake it on a hearth where it rises again. If you have no hearth, just use an oven pan with parchment paper.
To make the dough, prepare 1 1/4 cups of lukewarm water and six cups of all purpose flour. For the sponge itself, you will need 1 ounce compressed fresh yeast, 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour.
Then you’ll want to dissolve the yeast in the water in a small bowl, stirring with a spoon, them take the half cup of flours in a big bowl, add the dissolved yeast and mix with a spoon until all the flour is mixed completely and a small ball of dough is formed.
Sprinkle more flour then you’ll need to leave it to rest, lay a clean dish towel over it and place in a warmer spot for about an hour, and the dough has doubled in size.
Then pour the six cups of flour on a clean work surface and make a little well in the middle, take your sponge and put it in the well and add 1/2 cup of lukewarm water mix the water and sponge together.
Add more water and start mixing in the flour around the well, slowly. You’ll want to keep doing this until almost all flour is added, then start kneading the dough using the palms of your hands. The dough should then be smooth but it will probably take 25 minutes. You don’t want the dough to be sticky so add a bit of flour to get the right consistency.
Shape the dough into a round loaf and place on a floured dish towel, which you will wrap around it. Keep it in a warm spot for another hour like previously.
Turn your oven to 200 degrees (Celsius) and put it in the bricks or tiles in the oven, leave for 50 minutes. Place on a cooking rack for a few hours before eating.
Perfect for everyday, or even drizzled with our extra-virgin olive oil and salt.
Quick Booking snippet
Extra virgin olive oil is a natural product that continues to evolve after pressing. Heat, light and oxygen accelerate this process and gradually affect both flavour and quality. At Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort, this is something we know well. Our family has been producing extra virgin olive oil for generations, using olives grown in […]
Mugello is best known for its charming villages, ancient woodlands, historic villas and quintessential Tuscan landscapes. What many people don’t realise is that, after sunset, its clear skies and low levels of light pollution create ideal conditions for observing constellations, planets and, at the right time of year, even the Milky Way stretching across the […]
Villa Campestri, the world’s first Olive Oil Resort, transforms extra virgin olive oil into an experience that brings together nature, gastronomy, wellbeing and a deep connection to the land.
Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling as tired as when you went to bed? Or found yourself exhausted at night, only to lie awake for hours? Perhaps you’ve experienced that familiar afternoon slump, when your energy suddenly disappears for no obvious reason. Most of us blame stress, a busy schedule or lack […]
One of the most meaningful experiences during a trip to Tuscany, beyond visiting art cities or iconic landscapes, is connecting with everyday local life. That connection often happens in village markets, artisan workshops, and small food shops where products are made for the people who live there year-round, not just for visitors. In this guide, […]
How to get to Mugello from Florence and how to travel around Tuscany with or without a car. Distances, trains, buses and transfers.
Romantic weekend in Tuscany between Mugello and Florence: scenic rooms, candlelight dinners, and olive oil tastings. Discover Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort.
Anyone visiting Florence for the first time imagines a stay right in the historic center, surrounded by museums, piazzas, and narrow cobblestone streets. It takes only a day, however, to realize that Florence is wonderful to explore yet challenging to inhabit. Between ZTL restrictions, scarce and expensive parking, constant noise, and high prices for even […]