Expert: Davide Giovanni Papa - 8/4/2007

Question
FOR 3 YEARS I LIVED IN ROME, ITALY WHILE WORKING FOR AN AMERICAN ENGINEERING FIRM (I.S.E.I.) AT 25 VIA ABRUZZI (1964-65-66).

MY WIFE AND I CAME TO VERY MUCH ENJOY A BREAD ROLL AT MANY RESTAURANTS.  WHEN I ASKED WHAT THEY WERE CALLED, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD "ROSETTI'S".  BACK IN THE USA FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS, I HAVE NEVER FOUND SUCH A ROLL WHICH IS LIGHT, CRUSTY AND HOLLOW IN THE MIDDLE.  ARE YOU FAMILAR WITH THIS ITEM, AND IF YOU ARE, IS THERE A RECIPE FOR SUCH AS I'D LIKE TO PREPARE THEM AS A SURPRISE FOR MY WIFE.  TWO RESTAURANTS IN PARTICLUAR, THE "CANCELLO D'ORO" IN LATINA AND L' EMBASSAT (WRONG SPELLING)THE OWNER (LUCIANO GRASSI & HIS FATHER WHO WAS 2ND CHEF TO MUSSOLINI) BEFRIENDED ME AND TAUGHT ME AUTHENTIC ITALIAN COOKING WHICH I HAVE ENJOYED TO THIS DAY. BOTH RESTUARNTS ALWAYS SERVED THESE ROLLS AS DID THE "PICOLO MUNDO" IN ROME AND OTHERS.  MY FATHER, FROM LAGO DE COMO, A RESTURANT OWNER ALSO TAUGHT ME THE INS AND OUTS OF BEING A CHEF, ALL OF WHICH I APPLY IN FAMILY COOKING.  HOWEVER, I DO MISS THOSE ROSETTI ROLLS.  CAN YOU HELP ME?  THANK YO9U.  JOSEPH LONATI

Answer
Dear Joe.

I know of the said rolls , but its not a classical application-(nor name)- When you talk of bread, you are talking about so many possibilities- Pizza dough has it classical application, but not bread-(AND STRANGELY ENOUGH, THE OVERNIGHT recipe APPLICATION IS ALSO REALLY NEEDED IF YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A GREAT PIZZA-) except for perhaps "Pasta Dura'. Those rolls found in good Restaurants in Rome- few do use an application which carries some uniform classical tradition across Italy- By those in the "know"

The secret Ingredient is Honey-Yes thats right "Honey"- THE PROCEDURES TO MAKE THE BREAD IS IN "TWO PART" AND IS OFTEN NOT APPLIED AS WELL.To many cooks today apply shorts cuts-

In modern day Sugar substitutes for honey , but its the use of  honey that is the correct superior application-combined with the actual process of making such bread-

Please find the following correct application with my pleasure-as it's a rare insight to a classical application-

For basic rolls/bread-(You decide of shape)

Ingredients for STARTER Yeast:
(1) 190 Ml whole cream milk-
(2) 2 teaspoon Honey
(3) 1 teaspoon  dried brewers  yeast
(or 7 grams fresh yeast is available)
(4) 130 grams Plain Flour of at least 11 percent protein -
(Ask for a biscuit flour)

THE DOUGH
1 TABLESPOON FRESH OR DRIED YEAST-
2 TEASPOONS OF SALT-
500G PLAN FLOUR
AROUND 250 ML OF WATER-
AND SOME FLOUR FOR DUSTING BENCH , HANDS-

FIRST MAKE THE STARTER-
(A) MIX MILK HONEY AND 4/5 TABLESPOON OF WARM (NON CHLORINATED ) ONLY WATER.

(B)SPRINKLE YEAST ON TOP OF WATERY MIX, OR DISSOLVE FRESH YEAST IN MIXTURE-

(C)LEAVE IN A WARM PLACE- USING A CLOCK , IF THE YEAST MIXTURE IS NO BUBBLING WITHIN 10 MINUTES, START AGAIN FROM SCRATCH- MEANING THAT THE STARTER MUST BE APPLIED CORRECTLY FROM THE START. SCIENCE-  HONEY PLUS YEAST PRODUCES THE REQUIRED RISING GAS CO2- (SALT SLOW THIS PROCESS and  SLOWS THE YEAST ACTIVITY-)

(D) ONCE YOU CAN SEE YOUR 'STARTER" IS ACTIVE- ADD starter FLOUR and MAKE the emulsion INTO A  THICK PASTE RATHER THAN A FIRM DOUGH USING  WHISK-(SO ITS LIKE A BATTER MAX AT THIS STAGE)

PLACE A CLEAN CLOTH OVER THE BATTER MIX- LEAVE OVERNIGHT IN IN A DRAUGHT FREE CORNER OF YOUR KITCHEN, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE-

NEXT DAY-


TO MAKE THE DOUGH (2 LOAVES OR 8/12 DINNER ROLLS)

(A) TAKE FLOUR AND SALT- MIX DRY, WELL-
BREAK UP OR SPRINKLE ONCE MORE YEAST OVER STARTER, USING YOUR FINGERS TO WORK THE YEAST BACK IN-WHILE ADDING WATER TO FORM A SLURRY-(EMULSION)

NOW START ADDING THE DOUGH FLOUR UNTIL A BALL OF DOUGH IS FORMED- USING UP THE STARTER MIX-

(B) TURN THE DOUGH OUT ON A FLOURED BENCH, AND KNEAD USING 2 HANDS FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES UNTIL, THE DOUGH BECOMES ELASTIC IN APPEARANCE-( IF TWO DRY SPRINKLE WATER , IF TOO WET AT FIRST SPRINKLE DOUGH WITH A LITTLE FLOUR-UNTIL THE DOUGH IS ABLE TO KNEAD WELL)

(C) AFTER 10 KNEADING MINUTES PLACE DOUGH IN SLIGHTLY OILED BOWL, PLACE CLOTH ON TOP , KEEP IN DRAUGHT FREE AREA OF ROOM FOR AT LEAST 1 AND HALF TO 2 HOURS UNTIL DOUGH HAS RISEN TO DOUBLE-

(D) WHEN RISEN - TAKE OUT OF BOWL, ONTO FLOURED BACK, KNOCK IT BACK DOWN, KNEAD QUICKLY UNTIL BACK TO A SOLID BALL OF DOUGH-(a few minutes only)

(E)NOW TAKE A BAKING TRAY LIGHTLY OILED- DIVIDE YOUR DOUGH TO MAKE TWO LOAVES OR A TIGHT FIST FULL OF DOUGH TO MAKE SMALL ROUND OR LONG ROLLS HOW FORMED BY YOU-Leave an inch space when placing on tray)

(F) DUST LOAVES WITH FLOUR,WITH A KNIFE QUICKLY SCORE SOME DEEP CUTS ON EACH LOAF, OR ROLLS, PLACE CLOTH COVERING THE WHOLE LOT- AND LET SLOWLY RISE FOR ABOUT 40/50 MINUTES- PREHEAT YOUR OVEN NOW, ON HIGH (400 F PLUS)

(G) PLACE ON TOP RACK IN THE OVEN, CHECK IN 25/30 MINUTES-BY USING A SPOON TO TAP EACH LOAF OR ROLL- IF ITS A HARD HOLLOW TAPPING SOUND THAT IS PRODUCED- YOU BREAD IS COOKED- CLOSE VOVEN LET REST FOR 5 MINUTE-TAKE OUT, TURN TRAY UPSIDE ON  BENCH ( WIRE RACK IF AVAILABLE) LEST COOL FOR AL LEAST HALF AN HOUR, EAT MILDLY WARM OF STORE FOR LATER-


Now you can see  what I mean when i say "The Art and science of Italian  classical cookery"- the more you make it, the better you fine tune the process- working to correct  mistakes made on your previous attempt-

This is a rare application, such secrets are often not given easily by older chefs and bakers, and new younger chefs and cooks  don't know the old ways, and take too many short cuts-mostly due to the fact that their teachers don't know such classical recipe application as well-and in time, the art is lost, except for people like yourself who want to attempt the correct classical application- Hence that's  why I like to teach only the classical cookery applications of Italy-

Enjoy-It's a great classical bread recipe based on those little custom rolls often found throughout Italy which are still being made by true artists.

Kind Regards
Davide Giovanni Papa
www.chefdavide.freeservers.com