by Marc Vetri
WAFFLE STARTER
Use 1⅔ cups (250 g) tipo 00 or all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon (1 g) packed then crumbled fresh cake yeast or ⅛ teaspoon (0.5 g) instant yeast, and 1⅛ cups (250 g) warm water. To feed, scoop out 1 cup (215 g) starter and replace it with ¾ cup (115 g) tipo 00 or unbleached all-purpose flour and 1 cup (220 g) warm water (100 to 110°F). Makes about 3 cups (700 g).
Rustic Loaf
Rustic LOAF
Jeff Michaud came to work at Vetri in the fall of 2001. He had never really cooked Italian food, but he had a lot of skills and a lot of desire, which for me is the most important quality of a cook. Jeff would always tell me that we should make the bread for the restaurant. I had made bread for years, working in bakeries in Italy and Los Angeles; I had even taken a bread-baking class at the French Culinary Institute in New York. But I thought Vetri restaurant was too small to start making bread. Jeff was relentless, and we began making our own bread starters and experimented with various loaves, from ciabatta and focaccia to brioche and panettone.
We have been making bread at Vetri for over ten years now. The one that I remember most is the one that we started with: a simple, rustic, white, free-form loaf that we made from a natural starter in 2001. The starter is still living in the kitchen to this day. And we still bake this bread on a big stone that covers the whole oven. We severely brown the outside to give it a thick crust and deep flavor. It has always been my favorite bread.
MAKES ONE 10-INCH-DIAMETER ROUND LOAF
2½ cups plus 1 tablespoon (650 g) high-protein flour, such as King Arthur Sir Galahad or Unbleached All-Purpose
1 cup (225 g) Biga Starter
1½ cups plus 1½ tablespoons (350 g) cold water
2 tablespoons plus 2½ teaspoons (25 g) packed fresh cake yeast, or 1 tablespoon (11 g) instant yeast
2¼ teaspoons (14 g) fine sea salt
Put the flour, water, and starter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Crumble in the yeast. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until everything is moist, about 4 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Raise the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough clings to the dough hook, about 6 minutes. Add the salt and mix at medium speed until the dough is slightly sticky and elastic, about 4 minutes.
Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat both sides with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm spot (90°F) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. The shape can change with the proofing mold that you use.
Punch down the dough (one hard punch should do it), then shape into a ball. Place, seam side down, on a heavily floured rimless baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, remove all but the bottom rack in your oven and put a baking stone on the rack. Preheat the oven to 475°F for at least 30 minutes.
Slide the dough off the baking sheet onto the hot stone and slash a 4-inch X in the top of the dough. Immediately spritz the dough with a spray bottle of water until well coated, about 5 seconds. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the bread, spritz the dough again with water, and bake for another 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400°F and bake until the bread looks crusty and dark brown—about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack, but not too much. It’s great warm.
PREP AHEAD
The starter can be made a day, a month—even years—ahead if you feed it and keep it alive.
I Want It Burnt!
In 1997, I was working as executive chef at Bella Blu in New York City. Alain Sailhac and his wife, Arlene, used to come into the restaurant. Alain was—and still is—executive vice president and dean of the French Culinary Institute (FCI) in New York. He and his wife ate at Bella Blu a lot because they lived right around the corner. I became good friends with them, and they invited me to become a judge of the FCI student graduations.
When I was planning to leave Bella Blu, I talked with Alain about opening my own restaurant. But first I wanted to go back to Italy and relearn some things, get back to basics. I wanted to know more about making sausage and bread. He mentioned that FCI was just starting a bread-baking class and invited me to attend. It was their first bread course ever, a monthlong one, all day, every day except Sunday. It was very intense. They planned to start with a French bread course and then offer an Italian bread course. I decided to take the French course.
It was one of the most eye-opening experiences I have ever had in a kitchen. We made so many styles and heard so many lectures on the science behind good bread. They even let us stay late and mess around with starters and doughs and shaping. It was a great opportunity for any chef. I remember we made a free-form rustic loaf almost every day for L’École, the restaurant downstairs from the school. Alain would come in when the bread was in the oven and tell everyone, “Darker, darker! It has to be burnt!” He loved it like that. The darker the color, the thicker the crust, and the play of flavors was incredible. When I started making rustic loaves at Vetri, I made them exactly the same way. It was the first bread we ever made at Vetri, and we still make more of that bread than any other. To this day, when I walk in the kitchen before service, I yell to everyone, “It’s still not dark enough! I want it burnt!!”
Ciabatta
Ciabatta
You find this bread everywhere now. The name means “slipper,” and I make large ones for the restaurant. Sometimes at home, I’ll shape it into smaller rolls to use as sandwich bread. It works great for slicing through the side and stuffing with whatever sandwich fillings you can dream up. Try thinly sliced Coppa, Beef Speck, Lamb Mortadella, and/or Rabbit Salami, paired with a gooey melting cheese like Bitto, buffalo mozzarella, or Crucolo. Then griddle the sandwich on a sandwich press. This bread is great for sandwiches because it has a lot of air holes inside—some about an inch in diameter—that can hold plenty of fillings like melted cheese and sliced meat.
MAKES ONE 12 BY 6-INCH LOAF OR TWELVE 12 BY 6-INCH ROLLS
3½ cups (500 g) high-protein flour, such as King Arthur Sir Galahad or Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons (18 g) packed fresh cake yeast, or 2¼ teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast
1 cup (220 g) cold water
2 cups (450 g) Biga Starter
1 tablespoon plus 1¾ teaspoons (28 g) fine sea salt
Put the flour, water, and starter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Crumble in the yeast. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until everything is moist, about 4 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and clings to the dough hook, about 8 minutes. Add the salt and mix at medium speed until the dough is very smooth, about 4 minutes.
Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat it with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm spot (90°F) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Using a bowl scraper or a large mixing spoon dipped in flour, scrape the dough onto a heavily floured surface. Pat the dough with floured hands into a ½-inch-thick rectangle and fold it into thirds as you would a letter.
If making rolls, cut into 12 equal pieces and shape into rough rectangles. If making a loaf, pat the dough into a rough rectangle. Put on a heavily floured rimless baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Put in a warm place (90°F)and let rise until air bubbles form under the surface of the dough and the dough is light, airy, and almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Remove all but the bottom rack in your oven and put a baking stone on the rack. Preheat the oven to 475°F for at least 30 minutes.
Slide the dough off the baking sheet onto the hot stone and immediately spritz the dough with water until well coated, about 5 seconds. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the bread, spritz the dough again, and bake for another 10 minutes. The bread will be golden and crusty. Lower the oven temperature to 400°F and bake until dark brown, about 10 more minutes for rolls and 20 more minutes for a loaf. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
&nbs
p; Parmesan BREAD
Whenever someone comes to my house—or my restaurants—I like to give them something to snack on right away, preferably bread. The Parmesan cheese in this one gives you an extra bite of salt, while the natural starter balances the salt with a light sourness. It also has a tight crumb (small air holes) that makes it perfect for soaking up olive oil when you dip it in.
MAKES ONE 12-INCH-DIAMETER ROUND LOAF
3½ cups (500 g) high-protein flour, such as King Arthur Sir Galahad or Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1½ tablespoons (13 g) packed fresh cake yeast, or 1¾ teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
1⅓ cups (300 g) cold water
¼ cup (50 g) extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (240 g) Natural Honey Starter
2¾ teaspoons (15 g) fine sea salt
1 cup (125 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Put the flour, water, olive oil, and starter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Crumble in the yeast. Mix on low speed until everything is moist and a rough dough forms, about 4 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 8 minutes; the dough will be very wet and elastic. Add the salt and cheese and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and clings to the dough hook, about 4 more minutes.
Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat it with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm spot (90°F) until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
Punch down the dough and shape it into a ball on a floured surface. Place, seam side down, on a heavily floured rimless baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place (90°F) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, remove all but the bottom rack in your oven and put a baking stone on the rack. Preheat the oven to 475°F for at least 30 minutes.
Slide the dough off the baking sheet onto the stone and immediately spritz the dough with a spray bottle of water until well coated, about 5 seconds. Bake until swollen and golden, about 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400°F, spritz the dough again, and bake until the bread is dark brown and crusty, about 20 more minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
DURUM Focaccia
Who doesn’t love focaccia? It’s like a naked pizza, and it tastes even better made with durum flour. The durum gives it a more satisfying chew. The dough will be soft and loose when you mix it up, but don’t worry, it’ll crisp up nicely in the oven. For extra flavor, mix in some chopped fresh rosemary.
MAKES ONE LARGE (18 BY 13 INCHES) OR TWO SMALL (13 BY 9 INCHES) FOCACCIAS
4 cups (680 g) durum flour
2¼ cups (480 g) Durum Focaccia Starter
2⅔ cups (580 g) cold water
2 tablespoons (18 g) packed fresh cake yeast, or 2¼ teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast
4 teaspoons (22 g) fine sea salt
8 tablespoons (120 g) olive oil
Maldon sea salt, for sprinkling
Put the flour, starter, and water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Crumble in the yeast. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until everything is moist, about 4 minutes, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough clings to the dough hook, about 4 minutes. Add the salt and, if you like, 2 tablespoons (6 g) chopped fresh rosemary, and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball and put into an oiled bowl, turning it to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot (90°F) until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
Oil a large rimmed baking sheet (18 by 13 inches) or two smaller sheets with 2 tablespoons (30 g) of the oil. You can even use a large braising pan (as shown in the photos at the end of the recipe) or any pan with sides to give the focaccia a thick edge. Press the dough into the pans until it fills the pans to the rims and let rise for 30 minutes. Dimple the surface with your fingertips and let rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Brush the top of the focaccia with the remaining 6 tablespoons (90 g) olive oil and sprinkle with some Maldon sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes(with the large in the center of the oven, the small ones on separate oven racks). Lower the oven temperature to 350°F, then bake until lightly browned on top, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool until warm. Cut into squares to serve.
Rosemary Durum Bread
ROSEMARY Durum BREAD
Most all-purpose flour has about 8 to 11 percent protein, which is what determines how sturdy a bread will be when it comes out of the oven. Durum flour has up to 16 percent protein and gives this bread a nice, full body. It also gives the bread a chewy crust and deep, earthy flavor. It is one of the most flavorful breads I serve and one of the few that doesn’t use a bread starter. Must be the durum. If you can’t find durum flour in your local market, you can order it from King Arthur (see Sources).
MAKES ONE 10-INCH-DIAMETER ROUND LOAF
2⅛ cups (300 g) durum flour
¾ cup (105 g) high-protein flour, such as King Arthur Sir Galahad or Unbleached All-Purpose
1 tablespoon (9 g) packed fresh yeast, or 1⅛ teaspoons (4 g) instant yeast
1¼ cups (275 g) cold water
1½ teaspoons (8 g) fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (6 g) chopped fresh rosemary
Put the durum flour, and high-protein flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Crumble in the yeast. Stir with a spoon to blend. Add the water, attach the dough hook, and mix on low speed until everything is moist, about 4 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth, about 4 minutes. Add the salt and rosemary and mix until the dough is very smooth and silky, 1 to 2 minutes.
Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turning it to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot (90°F) until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Punch down the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise again in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Punch down the dough and shape into a ball. Put on a heavily floured rimless baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, remove all but the bottom rack in your oven and put a baking stone on the rack. Preheat the oven to 475°F for at least 30 minutes.
Slide the dough from the baking sheet onto the hot stone and immediately spritz the dough with a spray bottle of water until well coated, about 5 seconds. Bake until swollen and golden, about 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400°F, spritz the dough again, and bake until the bread is dark and very crusty, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
BLUEBERRY Schiacciata
About ten years ago, on one of my trips to Italy, I had a Concord grape schiacciata (skee-ah-chata). It was an eye-opening experience. This is what bread could taste like with a little sugar in it but not so much that it becomes a dessert. The only thing was, I kept crunching on the seeds of the grapes. In blueberry season, I thought, what a great substitute! Schiacciata means “pressed” or “flattened,” referring to the way you press the fruit into this dough. It’s usually made like focaccia with fruit pressed into the top, but I like to sandwich the fruit between layers of dough in little ring molds, then press more fruit on top. It makes a nice presentation. You could also skip the ring molds and roll the dough into a large round about ¼ inch thick, put it on a baking sheet, and press the blueberries into the top. Note that this recipe uses a sponge, which is similar to a starter, except the mixture stands for just 30 minutes instead of the 12 hours required for a starter.
MAKES SIX 3-INCH ROUNDS
1 cup (220 g) warm (100 to 110°F) water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (12 g) packed fresh cake yeast, or 1½ teaspoons (5 g) instant yeast
1⅓ cups (275 g) sugar
2 eggs (100 g)
3½ cups (500 g) tipo 00 or all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 tablespoons (30 g) l
ard or vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt
4 tablespoons (62 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (410 g) blueberries
Put the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the yeast and 3 tablespoons (39 g) of the sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Beat in the eggs with the paddle attachment on medium speed, then mix in 1¾ cups (250 g) of the flour on low speed until incorporated. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot (90°F) until bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Beat the lard into the sponge with the paddle on medium speed. Mix in the remaining 1¾ cups (250 g) flour and the salt on low speed until the dough comes together. Mix in the butter.
Change to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. The dough should be like stiff, sticky cake batter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot until doubled in size, another 30 minutes or so. At this point, the dough should be soft and pliable, yet rollable.
To roll and assemble: Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough in half and roll out each half into a ¼-inch-thick round. Using a 3-inch ring mold or biscuit cutter, cut twelve 3-inch rounds out of the dough.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a baking sheet and the insides of six 3-inch ring molds. Put the molds on the sheet and place one circle of dough in each mold, pressing and stretching the dough to fit to the edges. Fill each mold halfway with a layer of blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberries with 2 tablespoons (26 g) of the sugar. Top with another piece of dough and press down gently, popping the blueberries a little bit. Press more blueberries into the top of the dough and sprinkle each schiacciatta with 1 tablespoon (13 g) sugar.
