Semolina Bread and “Pocket Change”
This is my first time baking bread with semolina…always hear so much about it and finally got the chance to try it out.
If you like crusty crust and soft, and somehow moist and chewy crumb with uneven holes and nutty flavor, you will love this bread. It is so simple…as usual, I used my Zojirushi bread machine for the sponge and to knead the main dough, but you can easily do it without the machine or use a mixer instead. This recipe was adapted from Bread Making/Bread Experience. I cut the quantity by a third, since I was baking for only the two of us, but next time making this bread I will sure double it since it is so good.
Before I share the recipe of this delicious bread with you, I am very excited because Simple Recipes has been featured on the Best of the Web hosted by Pocket Change. Please hop to the site to check it out. This site contains lots of reviews and shopping advices for all kind of products, from food items to spas.
Now to the recipe…
Ingredients:
Sponge:
½ cup semolina flour
½ cup bread flour
½ cup water
½ teaspoon yeast
¼ teaspoon sugar
Main Dough:
¾ cup semolina flour
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon bread flour
½ cup water or more
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
all the sponge above
Method:
Sponge:
Place all the ingredients listed on the sponge on the bucket of the bread machine. Set to kneading mode. Once the cycle is over, let the sponge rest for approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours, when the dough is about to collapse.
Main Dough:
Add all of the ingredients listed on the main dough to the bucket with the sponge except for the olive oil, and again set the machine to kneading cycle. Once a soft and even dough has formed, add the olive oil and let the cycle continue until its end, the gluten should have developed.
Remove the dough from the bread machine and place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic film.
Let the dough ferment for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours depending on the temperature of the room, until almost triple the initial size. Fold the dough and let it ferment for another 2 hours.
Remove the dough from the bowl on a lightly floured surface. Cover the dough with plastic. Let it rest for about 10 to 20 minutes so the dough relaxes.
Shape the dough by gently stretching until it forms a big rectangle. Fold the ends and flip the dough on a floured parchment paper so the mended side is on the bottom. At this point, I sled the parchment paper on a cookie sheet lined with silicone mat (I thought that if the dough were to raise too much it would stick on the silicone mat instead of the cookie sheet, but there was no need, therefore you may skip the silicone mat) and covered the dough with plastic wrap and placed them in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let them warm up to room temperature for about 1 to ½ hour.
Preheat the oven at 475F by placing a baking stone on the middle rack of the oven and a steam pan underneath with water.
Score the loaf and gently spray the top of the loaf with water.
Slide the bread (on the parchment paper) directly onto the baking stone and pour 1 cup of ice in the steam pan. After 30 seconds, spray the walls of the oven with water. Repeat a couple of times.
After 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 450 F. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Rotate the bread 180 degrees for even baking.
Remove the loaf to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
I hope you enjoy this simple recipe for bread using semolina.
Did you know that semolina flour is derived from durum wheat? It is high in gluten and mainly used for bread and pasta.