Bread by Maiolo, made with local flours and according to ancient methods, is an integral part not only of the dining table but also of the country’s cultural identity. It is a product that has stood the test of time and resisted industrial standardisation, preserving the techniques, skills and rhythms of traditional bread-making.
Essential ingredients
La recipe It is based on a few simple, authentic elements:
- water
- flour
- sourdough starter, obtained from a a piece of the previous batch of dough left to prove overnight. A natural leavening which describes a frugal approach, but also a deep connection with the art of bread-making, built on experience and little ‘tricks’ of the trade.
The Gentilrosso
Maiolo bread is made exclusively from ‘Gentilrosso’ flour, a local variety of ancient soft wheat, first documented in the first half of the 20th century and widely grown in central Italy. Its main characteristics are:
- a reddish-yellow ear,
- considerable height, which can reach around 1.65 metres,
- high resistance to disease, particularly rust,
- hardiness and great adaptability.
Gentilrosso is grown by a local farm, which also stores the wheat. The wheat is then ground at a local stone mill, preserving the qualities of the flour, which also plays a central role in the traditional Bread Festival.
The procedure
Before the actual bread-making process begins, there is a preliminary stage fundamental: the The sourdough starter is mixed with flour and a little lukewarm water until the dough has risen fully again.
We then move on to to the dough, spreading the flour out and making a well in the centre to hold the sourdough starter. Once mixed, the dough is divided into loaves weighing about one kilogramme each and left to rise.
I The loaves are then wrapped in cloths — traditionally hand-woven fabrics — and covered with wool, and then to rest for a variable period of time: from 90 minutes during the summer months until at three o’clock in winter.
In the meantime, the oven is lit, usually fuelled by bundles of broom and vine shoots. After about an hour, when the bread has finished proving, it is placed in the oven, but not before making a small cross-shaped incision on each loaf: a symbolic gesture, but one that also aids the baking process.
La oven temperature is checked in accordance with an ancient custom: a a wooden stick is rubbed along the sides of the oven opening; If it produces sparks, the heat is just right.
During baking, the bread is checked regularly: After about 40 minutes, it is moved, and then taken out of the oven after a total of about 70 minutes. A traditional tip involves adding a small tuft of grass to the oven, which helps to reduce any excess heat.
Once extracted, the veins are left to rest whilst standing, leaning on one side, so as to help it dry completely.
