Pane di Cerchiara

What you’ll need

Ingredients

• 4¾ cups strong bread flour
• ⅞ cup semola rimacinata Semola Rimacinata →
• 7 oz active natural leaven (sourdough starter)
• 2⅛ cups water
• 2⅔ tsp fine sea salt
• Wheat bran, for the crust

At the stove

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the flours with the water and leave to rest for 40 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the leaven and work it through, then add the salt and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.

3. 3

   Rise at cool room temperature for 8–12 hours, folding the dough two or three times in the first two hours.

4. 4

   Shape into a tall round, roll it in wheat bran, and prove seam-side up in a floured cloth for 2–3 hours.

5. 5

   Heat the oven to 480°F with a baking stone or heavy tray inside. Turn the loaf out, slash once along one side, and bake with steam for 20 minutes.

6. 6

   Lower to 390°F and bake for another 40 minutes, until the crust is very dark and the base sounds hollow. Cool completely before cutting.