Dark Tuscan Bread Pane Toscano Scuro Recipes

Steps:

• STARTER, stir the yeast into the water and let it stand for 10 minutes, until creamy.
• Add the flour and stir with 100 strokes of a wooden spoon, or w/ the paddle of an electric mixer for 1 minute (I recommend the latter unless your arms look like Popeyes).
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until tripled, 6 hours to overnight.
• DOUGH, stir yeast into the warm water and let it stand for 10 minutes, until creamy.
• Add the room temp water and the starter.
• Stir vigorously or squeeze the mixture between your fingers to break the starter up.
• Stir in the flours, half at a time, until thoroughly mixed.
• Knead dough on floured work surface until firm and resilient, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and punch it, then shape it into a large round loaf, or 2 oval loaves.
• Place on cornmeal-sprinkled peel or an oiled baking sheet.
• Dust the top (s) lightly with flour, cover with a lightly dampened towel, and let rise until doubled again, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450F.
• Score top of loaf (ves) with a sharp knife or razor in a"tic-tac-toe" pattern and slide onto a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Bake 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 400F& bake 20 minutes for the smaller loaves, and 25 to 30 minutes for the large loaf.
• Loaf is done when they sound hollow when tapped.
• Cool on a rack.

Steps:

• In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and crushed garlic.
• When the garlic flavors infuse oil, add the red pepper flakes being careful not to burn them.
• Add the whole can of tomatoes into the pot, then using a spatula cut the tomatoes into chunks.
• Add salt and ground black pepper, to taste.
• (Remember, bread chunks will be added to this so make it a bit saltier then you would like it to be.)
• Add water and stir.
• With your hands, pull the bread into bite-sized chunks, then add them to the pot.
• "Toss" (do not stir) bread chunks in to the soup.
• Add basil leaves.
• Serve hot and enjoy!