L'Italo-Americano

LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE " I f t h o u t a s t e s t a crust of bread, thou t a s t e s t a l l the stars and all the h e a v e n s . " R o b e r t Browning (1812-1889) Eng- lish poet Few scents evoke an emo- tional response like that of bread as it rises to perfec- t i o n i n a h o t o v e n . T a s t e buds awaken, eyes widen, stomachs rumble, voices cry o u t – " W h e n w i l l i t b e ready?" E a c h c i v i l i z a t i o n s i n c e anyone's kept record has laid claim to specific made- f r o m - g r a i n p r o d u c t s . F l a t b r e a d s o f t h e M i d d l e East, rich cake-like breads of France, hearty breads of central Europe, and so many other varieties have filled the stomachs of mankind s i n c e h u n t e r - g a t h e r e r s decided to set up a perma- n e n t c a m p . W h e r e v e r a grain or seed or root can be g r o w n a n d g r o u n d i n t o flour, bread is soon to fol- low, along with those of us who are ever willing to con- sume it. I t a l y ' s o w n h i s t o r y o f bread-making is long and rich. Etruscans, among the earliest Italians, adorned their elaborate tomb walls with banquet scenes that i n c l u d e d t h e g r i n d i n g o f grains, some of which surely went into the making of an afterlife aquacotta – the a n c i e n t s o u p s t i l l e a t e n today, featuring a base of bread. And anyone who's e v e r v i s i t e d P o m p e i i h a s seen the remains of bakeries o n a l m o s t e v e r y c o r n e r , most conveniently located near a wine vendor! Bread continues to hold high rank in the culinary w o r l d o f I t a l y . H o w e v e r , only six types have procured the coveted status of DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) — meaning that a product is guaranteed via strict regulation to be arti- san and made with locally grown ingredients, using t r a d i t i o n a l m e t h o d s . O f these six, only one possesses Tuscan roots. M e e t p a n e T o s c a n o DOP. Rustic in appearance, with flour-dusted lines laid l i k e a t o p o g r a p h y m a p across its domed exterior, a nutty colored crust the hue of a sun-bronzed face, and typically served in propor- tioned slices propped in a w i c k e r b a s k e t m o m e n t s after hearing "Buongiorno!" from your cameriere (wait- er). It's as common as pasta on a Tuscan table, and pre- dictably, unfailingly bland d u e t o n o t o n e p i n c h o f added salt. Obtaining a DOP certifi- cation is no easy task. The question begs – how does a s i m p l e c o m b i n a t i o n o f yeast, water, and flour take on the title? After all, could- n't any of us throw these three ingredients together and – bam! – the bread's ready? Rhetorical question, of course. The process and the o u t c o m e a r e m e t i c u l o u s , controlled, and honored. C u l t i v a t e d u n d e r t h e Mediterranean sun in the areas surrounding Livorno, Siena, Arezzo and Grosseto, u p t o n i n e v a r i e t a l s o f approved wheat thrive on t h e c l a y h i l l s i d e s . L o w gluten and high protein con- tent, along with an intact wheat germ, are characteris- tics of this "Type 0" flour. Milled to a consistency that allows the nutritional com- p o n e n t s o f t h e g e r m t o remain intact, this "strong" f l o u r i s c o m b i n e d w i t h a starter yeast, then guided through multiple series of leavenings and rests before being slid into a fiery-hot bread oven. B u t w a i t , s t i l l n o s a l t ? Every first-time consumer is l e f t b e w i l d e r e d a n d stumped, searching to recti- fy why this Italian bread is certainly not what they've been served at that Italian chain restaurant back home! The purposeful omission of salt is the premier defining quality of Tuscan bread and its uniquely bland taste. But there is reason and explana- tion behind the tradition of pane sciocco or "silly bread" – its colloquial pet name. Naturally, folklore offers the best imaginative expla- nations. Perhaps the most colorful tale involves the his- t o r i c r i v a l r y b e t w e e n medieval Pisa and Florence. Legend would have it that during one of the stand-offs, the Arno River was blockad- ed by the Pisan army, thus cutting off salt delivery to Florence. The Florentines smugly rolled their eyes and c o n t i n u e d t o b a k e t h e i r bread…senza salt! Another explanation tells us that salt, a prized commodity during the Middle Ages for its abili- t y t o p r e s e r v e f o o d s , w a s taxed outrageously. The reg- ular guy could not afford it, and thus – the daily bread was made without it. Perhaps the truth is scat- t e r e d l i k e b r e a d c r u m b s throughout these legends, but the undeniable fact is that Tuscan bread is the per- fect sidekick to the flavorful (and often salty) common dishes of the Tuscan coun- t r y s i d e . W h e t h e r u s e d t o fare la scarpetta (to sop up) t h e l a s t o f t h a t l u s c i o u s pasta sauce, as an accompa- niment to meat and cheese, or as the foundation of a refreshing panzanella salad, pane Toscano brings just the right balance of flavor support and texture. W h e n a l l t h e b u i l d i n g b l o c k s o f c u l t i v a t i o n a n d p r o d u c t i o n a r e i n p l a c e , what makes a finished loaf worthy of receiving DOP sta- tus? For starters, shape mat- ters. A pezzatura (piece of dough) can become only one of two shapes. If the baker was inspired to create the s m a l l e r r h o m b u s - s h a p e d loaf (filoncino), a finished weight of between 450 and 550 grams (almost 1 pound) is a must. If he/she was feel- ing a bit more expansive, the resultant rectangular loaf (strand) should tip the scale at 0.90 to 1.20 kg (2 to a lit- tle over 2.5 pounds). Both s h a p e s m u s t m e a s u r e a thickness of 5 to 12 cm. The p e r f e c t i n t e r i o r i s p o c k - marked with air bubbles; the finished crust is satisfyingly chewy and hazelnut brown in color. Even moisture is measured, not to be more than 30% by weight. DOP quality bread is also known for its ability to reach a stale state quickly (a good thing, actually), yet not mold for up to a week due to the sour- dough qualities of the yeast. A nice slab of stale pane Toscano presents the epit- ome of culinary repurposing into satisfying dishes such as r i b o l l i t a , t h e a f o r e m e n - tioned panzanella, pappa al pomodoro, and even bread polpettone (meatloaf). Once t h e m e a l o f a p o o r m a n ' s necessity, these dishes and many others are now proud- ly served in Tuscany's finest trattorias and ristoranti. Although it's not usually love at first sight – or bite – the crumbly brown crust and hole-ridden bread quickly comes to feel at home in the hand and mouth, ready to be doused with fresh oil, wipe the last bits of ragù from the p l a t e o r s i m p l y g i v e a moment's respite between bites of salty salume and pecorino cheese. However i t ' s i n g e s t e d , p a n e Toscano DOP is a vibrant, now-protected, and fiercely honored piece of la bella v i t a T o s c a n a . D o n ' t l o a f around – try some soon! Author's notes: a nice s e l e c t i o n o f a u t h e n t i c r e c i p e s u s i n g p a n e T o s c a n o D O P c a n b e f o u n d o n t h e c o n s o r t i u m w e b s i t e - h t t p s : / / w w w . p a n e t o s c a n o d o p . i t / i t / i l - pane THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano The bread of Tuscan life: pane Toscano DOP PAULA REYNOLDS Wholesome, natural home made bread (Photo: Dreamstime)

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