On Fri, 04 Jun 2004 20:31:09 -0400, Ol' Joe Stony
> wrote:

>Hi all.
>
>I grew up around the Boston area fed on the most amazing Italian bread.
>We called it "scali" bread, but I don't know if that is an authentic
>name.
>
>The bread slices were a flat oval shape, about 8-10 inches wide by 4-5
>inches tall, topped with sesame seeds. There was no braiding from what I
>can recall. And it had amazing flavor, unlike the flavorless knock-off
>scali bread that the local supermarket bakery sells. The texture was
>fluffy and chewy with a crisp crust.
>
>I would like to find a recipe that would create this type of bread. I
>have searched online and found only a couple of recipes that are just
>not in the same category. One seems close (pane siciliano) but I haven't
>secured all the ingredients yet to test it.
>
>If anyone who is familiar with this bread can provide a true and
>accurate recipe, and your experiences in making it, I would be extremely
>thankful.
>
>
>-Ol' Joe


Someone asked about this loaf on alt. bread recipes about 5-6 months
ago & a link was posted:
http://www.goodcooking.com/italiabr.htm

And here is another:

http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-...6/295435.shtml

I cannot vouch for either, as I would not know how to judge the bread,
but perhaps one will help get you what you seek.

Boron

"Ol' Joe Stony"
> The bread slices were a flat oval shape, about 8-10 inches wide by 4-5
> inches tall, topped with sesame seeds.

If this bread is the same of the photo, it is "sicilian bread".
http://info.supereva.it/teresa313/siciliano.gif
and I can give you an autentic italian recipe.
(sorry for my bad English but I'm italian and I don't write english very
well. :-/)
Best regards.

--
http://www.gennarino.org
http://www.gennarino.org/forum/
Meglio muri' sazio 'ca campa' a dijuno

icq 325215944

> Thanks for the replies...yes, please post the recipe you have. I will
> try them all and report back my findings. Many thanks!

That picture looks fantastic. Please, can you post the recipe for us to try
as well?

Thanks!

"Ol' Joe Stony"
>
> Thanks for the replies...yes, please post the recipe you have. I will
> try them all and report back my findings. Many thanks!

I'm very happy to give you the recipe of this bread (do you knov his
traditional name? It's "mafalda") but I have my recipes only in italian
and it's difficult for me translate. So, I copy now the italian recipe:
if you don't understand italian, I will try to translate it tomorrow,
when I'll be less tired than now.
Excuse me. :-)
Ingredienti per 8 persone:

g 350 di farina di semola di grano duro
g 150 di farina 00
g 300 circa di acqua
g 20 di lievito di birra
Un cucchiaino raso di malto d'orzo
2 cucchiai di olio extravergine d'oliva
g 10 di sale
Semi di sesamo



Pane ad impasto diretto

In una ciotola, versare la metà dell'acqua, sbriciolarvi il lievito di birra
e farlo sciogliere. Unire parte della farina di semola di grano duro e la
farina 00. Impastare un poco con la punta delle dita e, appena la farina è
ben incorporata, unire il sale e il malto. Cominciare a battere, sollevando
la pasta con la mano dal fondo verso l'alto, rovesciandola di nuovo nella
ciotola e, sempre battendo, unire il resto della farina e dell'acqua
alternandoli. Continuare a battere finché l'impasto si staccherà dalle
pareti e la consistenza risulterà non troppo morbida.

- Rovesciare la pasta sul piano di lavoro leggermente infarinato e seguitare
a lavorare battendola per dieci minuti, incorporando più aria possibile per
facilitare la lievitazione. Raccogliere a palla, disporla in una ciotola
unta con l'olio e far riposare per un'ora finché lievitando avrà raddoppiato
il suo volume.

- Rimetterla sul tavolo, lavorarla nuovamente, quindi tagliare la pasta a
metà e ottenere due palle. Con una di queste, formare un filone, inciderne
la superficie con due o tre tagli trasversali, spennellarlo con l'acqua e
appoggiare la parte bagnata su un vassoio con uno strato abbondante di semi
di sesamo. Formare con l'altra palla di pasta un secondo filone lungo e
sottile, quindi realizzare con le mani una serpentina (foto 1)

- Poco prima di arrivare alla fine del filoncino sollevare l'ultima parte,
passandola sulla serpentina stessa e fissare l'estremità (foto 2).
Spennellare con l'acqua e adagiare la parte bagnata sui semi di sesamo (foto
3 e 4).

- Disporre i due filoni su una teglia (foto 5) e lasciar nuovamente
lievitare per circa un'ora e mezza. Cuocerli in forno a 210°C per quindici
minuti, poi abbassare la temperatura a 190-200°C e continuare la cottura per
altri dieci minuti. Infine mettere il pane sulla griglia e cuocere per altri
quindici-venti minuti.

Here, the photos:
http://www.cucinaevini.it/frameset2...._tipologie.asp

Hope this is an help. :-)
Ps. if you like italian bread, you will find many traditional recipes on
my website, with many photos step by step
http://www.gennarino.org/pane.htm

--
http://www.gennarino.org
http://www.gennarino.org/forum/
Meglio muri' sazio 'ca campa' a dijuno

icq 325215944

"RobertE"
> That picture looks fantastic. Please, can you post the recipe for us to
try
> as well?
>
> Thanks!

I hope you are able to read italian: if is so, I'll be very happy to help
you, if I can.
(sorry for my bad english:-/)
Hello!

--
http://www.gennarino.org
http://www.gennarino.org/forum/
Meglio muri' sazio 'ca campa' a dijuno

icq 325215944

>Boron Elgar
>Date: 6/4/2004 9:30 PM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>On Fri, 04 Jun 2004 20:31:09 -0400, Ol' Joe Stony
> wrote:
>
>>Hi all.
>>
>>I grew up around the Boston area fed on the most amazing Italian bread.
>>We called it "scali" bread, but I don't know if that is an authentic
>>name.
>>
>>The bread slices were a flat oval shape, about 8-10 inches wide by 4-5
>>inches tall, topped with sesame seeds. There was no braiding from what I
>>can recall. And it had amazing flavor, unlike the flavorless knock-off
>>scali bread that the local supermarket bakery sells. The texture was
>>fluffy and chewy with a crisp crust.
>>
>>I would like to find a recipe that would create this type of bread. I
>>have searched online and found only a couple of recipes that are just
>>not in the same category. One seems close (pane siciliano) but I haven't
>>secured all the ingredients yet to test it.
>>
>>If anyone who is familiar with this bread can provide a true and
>>accurate recipe, and your experiences in making it, I would be extremely
>>thankful.
>>
>>
>>-Ol' Joe
>
>
>Someone asked about this loaf on alt. bread recipes about 5-6 months
>ago & a link was posted:
>http://www.goodcooking.com/italiabr.htm
>
>And here is another:
>
>http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-...6/295435.shtml
>
>I cannot vouch for either, as I would not know how to judge the bread,
>but perhaps one will help get you what you seek.
>
>Boron
>

The two links are the same recipe - I assume the first is the original.

I have never seen a recipe where you only rise the sponge for 20 minutes. Can
that possibly be right?

It certainly would not enhance the flavor with no time for fermentaton.
>
>