Three ingredients — yeast, flour, and water, that’s all you need to prepare this traditional Tuscan bread (locally known as ‘Pane Toscano‘) at home. So simple and so easy to prepare!
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This well-loved Italian bread from the region of Tuscany might taste a bit off at first, and in case you’re wondering why — there is no salt in it.
If you cannot imagine why the locals like it so much, try pairing it with the region’s salami or beef stew with red wine, and I bet you’ll agree with them. It certainly complements the intensity of the rest of the dishes that define Tuscan cuisine.
So, if you are thinking of serving some classic dishes from Tuscany and you want to complete the experience — you better make sure you prepare pane Toscano as well. 🙂
IF YOU WANT TO TRY MORE AUTHENTIC TUSCAN RECIPES, THEN YOU WILL LOVE THESE POSTS!
Ingredients
- Flour – bread flour is better than all-purpose flour for this no-salt bread.
- Yeast – I always use active dry yeast for this Tuscan bread recipe.
Preparation
Start by preparing the starter dough the night before by combining a quarter of a teaspoon of yeast with a two-thirds cup of warm water.
Once the yeast is ready, add one and one-fourth cup of bread flour and mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Cover with plastic and set in a cool place overnight (photo 1).
The next day, start your pane Toscano dough by combining one and a quarter of a teaspoon of yeast with one-third cup of warm water and set aside until it becomes foamy.
Combine the starter dough from the night before with the yeast mixture and one cup of water in a mixing bowl (photo 2).
Use the flat beater to mix it evenly, then add three and a half cups of flour (photo 3).
Once you see a dough starts to form, replace the flat beater with the dough hook and continue mixing until you get a smooth, soft dough.
Place dough into an oiled bowl (photo 4).
Cover with a clean kitchen towel, then set aside until it doubles in size.
Remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it on a flat surface, do not deflate the dough by punching it dough.
Divide the dough into two portions (photo 5).
Form each portion into a rectangle by folding the ends and place them on top of a generously floured baking tray lined with a baking sheet (photo 6).
Use a sharp knife to create cuts on top of the dough (photo 7).
Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until it becomes (almost) double in size. It generally takes forty-five to sixty minutes.
When the dough is almost ready, preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F).
Uncover the dough and place the tray in the middle of the oven.
After fifteen minutes, open your oven and spray it with water three times.
Adjust the temperature to 200°C (375°F to 400° F) and bake for thirty to thirty-five more minutes.
Transfer your Tuscan bread into a cooling rack, let it cool, then slice and serve.
Helpful tips
- Remember not to punch or deflate the dough once it has doubled in size. Just turn the bowl over to remove it.
- It is fine not to cut the dough into portions if you want to have one round Tuscan bread loaf (ruota) instead.
- Do not forget to sprinkle the baking sheet generously with flour before placing the dough on top of it. Bread flour is great, but if you have cornmeal, that is even better.
FAQs
They say it all started during the Middle Ages when the tax levied on salt was too high. As a workaround, the local bakers tried making bread without it, realized it goes well with their dishes and carried on up to this day.
Since it gets dry quickly, the locals use them to make various regional dishes like panzanella, ribollita, and pappa al pomodoro.
But if you cannot be bothered, just use chunks of your Tuscan bread to clean your plate — i.e., for wiping any sauce that’s left on it. 🙂
Tuscan Bread Recipe (Pane Toscano)
Ingredients
For the starter:
- 1/4 tsp yeast
- 2/3 cup water, warm
- 1 & 1/4 cups bread flour
For the Tuscan bread dough:
- 1 & 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1 & 1/3 cups water, warm
- 3 & 1/2 cups bread flour (plus more for the baking tray)
Instructions
Preparing the starter: Night before —
- Combine 1/4 tsp of yeast and 2/3 cup of warm water, then set aside until ready.
- Add 1 & 1/4 cups of bread flour; mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, then cover with plastic and set in a cool place overnight.
Preparing the Tuscan Bread dough: Next day —
- Combine 1 & 1/4 teaspoons of yeast with 1/3 cup of warm water and set aside until it becomes foamy.
- Using the stand-mixer bowl, combine the starter from the night before with the yeast mixture and the remaining cup of water.
- Use the mixer's flat beater to mix it evenly, then add 3 & 1/2 cups of flour.
- Continue mixing until a dough starts forming; replace the flat beater with the dough hook and resume mixing until you get a smooth, soft dough.
- Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles in size.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it on a flat surface (NOTE: Do not deflate the dough!)
- Divide your pane Toscano dough into two portions.
- Form each portion into a rectangle by folding the ends.
- Place them on top of a generously floured baking tray lined with a baking sheet.
- Use a sharp knife to make cuts on top of the dough.
- Cover with the kitchen towel and set aside until it becomes (almost) double in size. It generally takes 45 to 60 minutes.
- When the dough is almost ready, preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F).
- Uncover the dough and place them in the middle of the oven.
- After 15 minutes, open your oven and spray it with water three times.
- Adjust the temperature to 200°C (375°F to 400° F) and bake for 30 to 35 more minutes.
- Transfer your pane Toscano into a cooling rack to cool.
- Slice, then serve.
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: Remember not to punch or deflate the dough once it has doubled in size. Just turn the bowl over to remove it.
- Cook’s Tip #2: It is ok not to cut the dough into portions if you want to have one round loaf of Tuscan bread (ruota) instead.
- Cook’s Tip #3: Do not forget to sprinkle the baking sheet generously with flour before placing the dough on top of it. Bread flour is good, but if you have cornmeal, that is even better.
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