Lariano-Style Bread

My Lariano-Style Bread Baking Journey: A Labor of Love

As a busy working mom, time is a precious commodity. Finding moments for myself, let alone for elaborate baking projects, feels like winning the lottery. But, this past weekend, I decided to treat myself and my family to something special: Lariano-Style bread. The recipe, a treasure unearthed from a friend's shared notebook, promised a rustic, hearty loaf with a deep flavor that would transcend the ordinary. Little did I know that this baking adventure would be more than just a culinary pursuit – it became a journey of patience, precision, and unexpected rewards.

The initial stages were, to put it mildly, daunting. The recipe, filled with nuanced instructions and seemingly endless steps, initially overwhelmed me. The concept of a leavener, a starter that required an overnight fermentation, was a new frontier in my baking repertoire. I found myself meticulously measuring ingredients, carefully following each instruction, and constantly checking on the rising dough. The kitchen became my laboratory, and I, the enthusiastic (and slightly anxious) scientist. There were moments of doubt, times when the dough seemed to defy my attempts at shaping, and an internal monologue that questioned my sanity (and baking abilities!). But, armed with a deep breath and the unwavering support of a cup of strong coffee, I persevered.

The most rewarding moment arrived when I finally transferred the perfectly formed loaf into the oven, the aroma of baking bread filling my kitchen with warmth and comfort. The anticipation of sinking my teeth into the freshly baked loaf was almost unbearable. The wait, however, was worth it. The result surpassed my expectations. The crust was perfectly crisp, with a delightful golden-brown hue. The crumb was soft and airy, yet substantial enough to hold its own. The unique flavor, a result of the careful selection of ingredients, was a delightful combination of rustic charm and delicate sweetness. This bread wasn't just food; it was a symbol of patience, dedication, and the transformative power of simple ingredients. It was a reminder that even in the busiest of lives, there is space for creativity, for slowing down, and for savoring the simple pleasures that truly nourish our souls. Sharing this bread with my family only amplified the satisfaction. It wasn't just a meal; it was a shared experience, a tangible representation of love and effort. This more than made up for the initial challenges encountered in the kitchen.

The entire process felt like a mini-retreat, a quiet moment of contemplation amidst the chaos of daily life. The rhythmic kneading of the dough, the gentle folding, the careful shaping – these actions became a form of meditation, a way to disconnect from the external world and reconnect with the primal satisfaction of creating something beautiful and delicious from scratch. In the end, the reward was not just a delectable loaf of bread, but a deeper appreciation for the process itself and the quiet satisfaction of making something nourishing with one's own two hands.

I highly recommend that you try this recipe. It's a journey, a process, and a testament to the rewards of patience and dedication in the kitchen. Don’t be daunted by the number of steps; embrace the experience, and savor the delicious results.

Step-by-step

• On the evening before baking the bread, put the leavener ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Using your dough whisk (use a wooden spoon if you don't have a whisk), mix the leavener ingredients until all the flour is incorporated. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plate and leave overnight (in a warm place) until it becomes bubbly and frothy like mousse.
• On the morning of the day you will be baking the bread: When a small forkful of the leavener floats in a small bowl of room temperature water, you can go ahead and mix the dough. (If the leavener does not float, stir in a little more whole wheat flour and water - even amounts by weight - cover with a kitchen towel or plate and leave for about 30 minutes more. Chances are that it will now float.) Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. (Set the bran aside for after shaping....) Add wheat germ (if using) and ground flaxseed to the flour. Pour 275gm (275ml) water. Add all the leavener. Use a wooden spoon or dough whisk to mix these ingredients to make a rough dough. Add more water if necessary. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave on the counter for about 40 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk the salt into the final 25gm (25 ml) water. Pour the salt mixture over the dough.
• Use one of your hands to squoosh the salt and water into the dough; use the other hand to steady the bowl - this way you always have a clean hand. At first the dough might be a bit messy and seem like it's coming apart. Persevere. Suddenly, it will seem more like dough than a horrible separated glop. Keep folding it over onto itself until it is relatively smooth. Cover with a plate and leave to rest for about 30 minutes.
• About 30 minutes after adding the salt, run your dough-working hand under water. Reach down along the side of the bowl and lift and stretch the dough straight up and almost out of the bowl. Fold it over itself to the other side of the bowl. Turn the bowl and repeat until it's a little difficult to stretch the dough up any more. You'll notice that the dough feels significantly smoother. Cover with a plate and leave on the counter (or if the kitchen is cool like ours in winter and early spring, into the oven with only the light turned on) for about 30 minutes. Repeat the above step 2 or 3 more times for a total of 4 folds.
• Put rice flour into a brotform and distribute it as evenly as possible. (If you don't have a brot-form, you can line a bowl, basket or sieve with parchment paper. You can also use a liberally rice floured tea towel (but then you have to deal with a floured tea towel once the bread is baked). If you do not have rice flour, you can use wheat flour. However, it makes it significantly more difficult for the bread to be released from the basket....
• Scatter a dusting of wheat flour on the board and gently place the dough on the flour. Using wet hands, stretch the dough into a longish rectangle, then fold it like a letter, gently patting off any extra flour that might be there. Continue folding until the dough is shaped in a ball. Place it seam side UP in the well floured (rice) brot-form. Sprinkle the reserved bran evenly over the top of the bread. Loosely wrap the shaped loaf with a clean tea towel and enclose the whole thing inside a plastic bag and leave it in the oven with only the light turned on for 3 or 4 hours (until it has about doubled and there are bubbles).
• To know when it's time to bake, run your index finger under water and gently but firmly press it on the side of the bread. If the dough springs back immediately, recover the bread with the plastic bag and leave it in the oven with only the light turned on. If the dough gradually returns back after being pressed, for the round loaf, put combo cooker (or a cast-iron frying pan and stainless steel bowl) into the oven and preheat all to 425F.
• When the oven is preheated (about 45 minutes later), put a square of parchment paper on the counter (the paper should be large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the frying pan). Overturn the shaped bread onto the parchment paper (the bran covered part will now be on the bottom). Using a lame (or scissors, or serrated knife), score the bread with a single line in the center. Take the pan and bowl out of the oven (wear oven mitts!!) and place the frying pan on the stove (to prevent burning your countertop...). Transfer the bread to the middle of the frying pan and immediately put the lid of the combo-cooker (or stainless steel bowl) overtop like a hat. Put everything into the oven on the middle rack and immediately turn the oven down to 400F. Bake for 60-80 minutes in all, removing the hat half-way through baking. The bread is done when the crust is a deep golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• When the bread has finished baking, remove it from the pan and allow it to cool on a footed rack before slicing and eating; the bread is still cooking internally when first removed from the oven!