Ticino bread

Instructions

Pre-ferment

1. Mix all the ingredients together, cover with cling film and leave to ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Ideally overnight.

Main dough

1. Knead all the ingredients for the main dough using a food processor. First bring the dough together at a low speed and then finish kneading at a higher speed for ~10 minutes until a window test is successful.
2. Place in a greased bowl covered with cling film and leave to proof for ~1 hour until the dough has risen to double its size.
3. Weigh 12 pieces of dough, each weighing 77 g, and round them.
4. Pull the dough pieces over the work surface and roll them into approx. 12 cm long rolls.
5. Place 6 rolls tightly pressed together on a baking tray to form a loaf.
6. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for ~ 40 minutes to proof. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 210°C humid top/bottom heat.
7. After 40 minutes, leave to proof for a further 20 minutes without cling film so that a skin develops on the loaves.

Baking

1. After the proofing time, cut the surface of the dough once in the middle and lengthwise at a 45-degree angle with a bread knife.
2. Then place the dough pieces with the tray in the middle of the preheated oven, pour 1-2 dl of water into the ovenproof dish and bake the dough pieces for 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (humid top/bottom heat) and bake the Ticino bread for a further 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
4. After baking, leave the loaves to cool on a rack. For extra shine, spray a few splashes of water on top.