Tortanò from Naples
This is an interesting bread based on the easter bread from Naples called Casatiello. In this form it is known as "Tortanò."
It is dough enriched with lard, rolled out and then filled with cooked bacon, boiled eggs, salami, 3 type of cheese and herbs. The whole thing is then left to prove and baked off in the morning. Delcious warm with a drizzle of peppery extra virigin Olive oil.
It's almost a "Full English" in a bread... Yeah right - delicious.
Category
Enriched breads
This dough is enriched with lard, and then rolled with cheese, cold meats and boiled eggs.
It is pretty easy to make; for best results - and to be most authentic - it should be baked in a spring form pan with a centre cone. You can also use a deep round pan and place an empty "baked bean" can in the centre filled with rice or baking beads.
It's a meal on its own and delicious served slightly warm with a drizzle of robust extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of black pepper.
Author:Motherdough
Ingredients
200g Motherdough, refreshed and mature at peak.
175g Water
150g White bread flour
150 Cake flour
5g Bakers malt
75g Lard or rendered pork fat or duck fat
8g Salt
6 Large eggs - hard boiled - see recipe notes
50g unsalted butter - very soft
30g Pecorino Romano - coarsely grated or shavings
30g Parmigaino Reggiano - coarsely grated or shavings
100g Mozzarella or Provolone - diced into small chunks
100g Mature cheddar - coarsely grated
150g Bacon - diced and fried crispy
150g Salami - diced
10g Fresh Italian parsley
Filling
Directions
Mix the flour and bakers malt with 125g water to a shaggy mass and leave to autolyse for at least 1 hour.
Break the Motherdough into chunks and leave to soak in 50g water for 30 minutes (sync with the end of the autolyse).
Combine the autolyse dough and soaked Motherdough and knead to combine well. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle on the salt.
Knead the dough on a medium high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough pulls away completely from the bowl. At this stage it should almost pass the window pane test. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Repeat step above again, and possible for a 3rd time until you pass the knead poke test, the dough is very strong and elastic.
Add the soft lard one teaspoon blob at a time. Knead on high speed to incorporate fully. Repeat until all lard is incorporated.
Place the dough an a lightly oiled container for a bulk fermentation of 2 hours, executing coil folds every 30 minutes.
Place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
Place the dough on a lightly floured counter and stretch out to a rectangle about 1cm thick. The long side should be more or less equal in length to the long
Spread the soft butter across the dough. Sprinkle on all the filling ingredients.
Cut the boiled eggs in half and line them up along the long side, leaving enough space for the dough to flap over.
Roll up the dough, and trim the edges to enable a seem to form. Place the dough in your ring pan cover with plastic and leave to retard in the fridge for 12 hours.
Remove from the fridge. Brush the top with an egg wash.
Warm prove for 2-3 hours until the dough has visible increased in size and passes the poke test. (Note that a poke test in an enriched dough may seem a little slower/softer than for a normal break).
Bake at 200 C fan on for 60 minutes. If the colour is getting too dark on top rest a piece of foil on the pan.
Recipe Note
This recipe makes a medium size. To make a large (like the one in the pic) double the recipe.
Perfect boiled eggs - Boil eggs for 3 minutes with the lid on. Remove from heat for 6 minutes (with the lid on) and then flush with cold water to stop the cooking. This will produce a beautiful hard boiled egg with no dark ring around the yolk.
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