The identify of this bread—stecca, or “stick” in Italian—is one I merely made as much as describe it, because it has a slim form. It’s based mostly on the faster-rising pizza bianca dough you’ll discover within the pizza part and is stretched into such a slim rope that it bakes quickly. It’s additionally baked on a baking sheet reasonably than in a pot. On this case, though I get , brittle crust, it’s thinner than a lot of the different bread on this part. As a result of I wished to make use of it for sandwiches, I used to be aiming for a lighter-colored, less-assertive loaf of bread to encase the filling components with out overpowering them. However the olive oil glaze and coarse salt make it very flavorful by itself.–Jim Lahey
HOW DO I KEEP BAGUETTE CRUST CRISPY?
Jim Lahey’s baguette—or stecca—is brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with coarse salt for a stunning contact of taste however you would possibly discover that this contributes to the crust softening up greater than an odd baguette would. If that occurs, reheat them in a sizzling oven till they regain their crispness.
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In a medium bowl, stir collectively the flour, desk salt, sugar, and yeast. Add the water and, utilizing a picket spoon or your hand, combine till you will have a moist, sticky dough, about 30 seconds. Cowl the bowl and let sit at room temperature till the floor is dotted with bubbles and the dough is greater than doubled in dimension, 12 to 18 hours.
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When the primary rise is full, generously mud a piece floor with flour. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough out of the bowl in a single piece. Fold the dough over itself two or thrice and gently form it right into a considerably flattened ball. Brush the floor of the dough with a number of the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the coarse salt (which can regularly dissolve on the floor).
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Place a tea towel in your work floor and generously mud it with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Gently place the dough on the towel, seam aspect down. If the dough is cheesy, mud the highest frivolously with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Fold the ends of the tea towel loosely over the dough to cowl it and place in a heat, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is prepared when it’s nearly doubled. For those who gently poke it along with your finger, it ought to maintain the impression. If it springs again, let it rise for one more quarter-hour.
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Half an hour earlier than the top of the second rise, preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C), with a rack within the heart. Oil a 13-by-18-by-1-inch (33-by-45-by-2.5-cm) baking sheet.
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Lower the dough into quarters. Gently stretch every bit evenly right into a stick form roughly the size of the pan. Place on the pan, leaving not less than 1 inch between the loaves. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt.
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Bake the baguettes for 15 to 25 minutes, till the crust is golden brown. Cool on the pan for five minutes, then use a spatula to maneuver the stecca to a rack to chill totally.
Serving: 1 baguetteEnergy: 463 kcalCarbohydrates: 69 gProtein: 12 gFats: 15 gSaturated Fats: 2 gSodium: 734 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 1 g
Diet info is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
Recipe © 2009 Jim Lahey. Picture © 2021 asab974. All rights reserved.
Recipe Testers’ Opinions
I couldn’t cease consuming these baguettes! They mix the flavour of focaccia with the feel of a baguette and are dangerously straightforward to make. Word: Control them throughout the previous couple of minutes of baking as a result of the information can get burnt in a short time.
Wow! What a baguette. We had it plain, brushed with olive oil and coarse salt, and topped with roasted bone marrow. The recipe could be very straightforward to observe, and even inexperienced persons can strive it to really feel the enjoyment of getting an actual, contemporary baguette at dwelling. I solely had two points with the recipe: First, you want a wonderful reminiscence, since it’s a must to start about 20 hours earlier than serving time. Second, I counsel doubling the recipe in the event you’re serving 6 or extra. Most of it was eaten within the kitchen earlier than dinner. Even our visitor, who appears to be on an everlasting low-carb weight-reduction plan, couldn’t resist it.
