The traditional food products of Italy are world treasures. From aged balsamic vinegar to creamy buffalo-milk mozzarella, from Parmigiano-Reggiano to mellow extra-virgin olive oil, these classic ingredients, lovingly crafted for centuries, form the backbone of a great cuisine. Pamela Sheldon Johns's Italian Food Artisans introduces readers to the men and women who, despite the press of modern industrialization, make these edible wonders today
Beppe warns that each time you knead the dough, you must let it rest. "It is like the human body... when you 'harm' it, it needs to rest to make it better."
Makes: Two 10-inch Rounds
4 cups semolina flour
1/2 ounce fresh yeast cake
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 recipe Lievito Madre (recipe follows)
2 firm, ripe tomatoes, cut into narrow wedges
20 to 25 Mediterranean-style oil-cured black olives
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Place the flour on a work surface and make a well in the center. In a bowl, stir the yeast into 1 cup of the warm water and let stand until foamy on top, about 5 minutes. Pour the yeast mixture into the well in the flour. Mix the salt in the remaining 1 1/2 cups warm water and add it to the well. With your fingers, begin to work the liquid into the flour. When the mixture forms a soft dough, add the madre and knead until smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover with a towel and let rest in a warm place for 1 hour.
Lightly oil 2 baking sheets. Knead the dough until smooth, about 10 minutes. Divide the dough in half and shape into two round disks, each about 10 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Place them on the prepared sheet pans and let rest for 3o minutes.
Dimple the surface of each round with your fingertips, making impressions about 1/4 inch deep. Scatter the tomatoes and olives on top, distributing them evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with coarse salt and the oregano, drizzle with olive oil, and let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 425 degrees F.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve at once
Natural Leavening (Lievito Madre)
According to Beppe di Gesh, this "mother" can be used as a starter after four hours of resting, provided it has been "kept in a baker's drawer with a cloth over it." It can be refrigerated for up to a week between uses as long as you continue to "feed" it with flour and water. Bakers in Italy use lievito di birra, a "beer" yeast. You can approximate it with a fresh yeast cake, usually found in health-food stores or gourmet markets.
Makes: approximately 2 pounds
3 1/2 cups semolina flour
2 cups warm water
1/2 ounce fresh yeast cake
In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, combine the flour, water, and yeast. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Transfer to a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for 4 hours.
Remove half of the dough for the bread you are about to make.
Refresh the remaining dough for the next use with 1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) flour and 1 cup water, then knead on a floured work surface until smooth. Transfer to a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready
