Who doesn't like bread?
Malta although not noted for culinary wonders, like all countrys they have hidden gems, there use of rabbit, little pastizzi(small filled cheese cakes, made with a flakey pastry but bearing no resemblence to english cheesecakes), and of course the bread.
Maltese bread is special, very special, that special that your average maltese is said to consume roughly 1 kg a day.
Loafs are big, and for just over half a euro you can eat one yourself...............if your in malta.
Maltese loafs are based on an old tradition of bread making, probably originating from the knights of the order of saint john, similar breads exist in Rhodes.
Methods used are similar, but not identical to the true sourdough bread, made famous by San Francisco.
A maltese loaf is a textural revelation, a thick heavy crust, with a slight burnt note, chewey, moist and slightly sour, which is not devoid of the odd air hole. Most breads would be kocked back, a method used to knock the air out of the dough, during rising, this results in less holes in the finished loaf, this part of the process is omitted with maltese bread.
I have flirted with bread baking at home, with varying degrees of success, it's a very emotional process, almost theraputic, the kneading, then the wait for your loaf to prove, with the baking filling the kitchen with that lovely aroma from the alcehmic process that has happened during incorporation of yeast,flour and water, then introducing your creation to very hot oven.
My last attempt this weekend past, will be my best effort yet, the result was a lovely granary loaf, with a reasonable crust, one that i would be proud to share..........only i didn't.
Bread making so far for me has consisted of the use of dried packet yeast, and well known brands of bread flour. I want more, i want the real deal, i want sourdough .
I have had a recipe for a starter dough for a couple of years, but have never had the courage to take the plunge, after our trip to malta i bought back another starter recipe, i now have two so it's time, the time has arrived!
Over the coming weeks i will make the starter, hopefully with regular feeding i will produce a starter dough that will remain with me for many years, i will post the recipe and progress of my efforts, hopefully daily.
Watch this space.............
Malta although not noted for culinary wonders, like all countrys they have hidden gems, there use of rabbit, little pastizzi(small filled cheese cakes, made with a flakey pastry but bearing no resemblence to english cheesecakes), and of course the bread.
Maltese bread is special, very special, that special that your average maltese is said to consume roughly 1 kg a day.
Loafs are big, and for just over half a euro you can eat one yourself...............if your in malta.
Maltese loafs are based on an old tradition of bread making, probably originating from the knights of the order of saint john, similar breads exist in Rhodes.
Methods used are similar, but not identical to the true sourdough bread, made famous by San Francisco.
A maltese loaf is a textural revelation, a thick heavy crust, with a slight burnt note, chewey, moist and slightly sour, which is not devoid of the odd air hole. Most breads would be kocked back, a method used to knock the air out of the dough, during rising, this results in less holes in the finished loaf, this part of the process is omitted with maltese bread.
I have flirted with bread baking at home, with varying degrees of success, it's a very emotional process, almost theraputic, the kneading, then the wait for your loaf to prove, with the baking filling the kitchen with that lovely aroma from the alcehmic process that has happened during incorporation of yeast,flour and water, then introducing your creation to very hot oven.
My last attempt this weekend past, will be my best effort yet, the result was a lovely granary loaf, with a reasonable crust, one that i would be proud to share..........only i didn't.
Bread making so far for me has consisted of the use of dried packet yeast, and well known brands of bread flour. I want more, i want the real deal, i want sourdough .
I have had a recipe for a starter dough for a couple of years, but have never had the courage to take the plunge, after our trip to malta i bought back another starter recipe, i now have two so it's time, the time has arrived!
Over the coming weeks i will make the starter, hopefully with regular feeding i will produce a starter dough that will remain with me for many years, i will post the recipe and progress of my efforts, hopefully daily.
Watch this space.............
1 comment:
I am from Malta... our bread is unique and very rare to find it's kind in Europe. The Bread Festival is a great show one have to visit while in Malta.
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