Pane Toscano
The famous saltless loaf
Pane toscano: the traditional unsalted Tuscan loaf with a thick crust and open crumb, made for soups, prosciutto and ribollita.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Serves
- 1 large loaf
Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour
- 330 g water
- 150 g active starter or biga
- No salt — that is the point
- Semolina for dusting
Instructions
- 01
Build the biga. Mix starter, half the flour and half the water and ferment 8 hours at room temperature.
- 02
Final dough. Add remaining flour and water, knead 8 minutes and bulk ferment 3 hours with folds.
- 03
Shape and proof. Shape into a round, dust with semolina and proof 1½ hours seam-up.
- 04
Bake with steam. Bake at 450°F with steam for 20 minutes, then 25 minutes dry until dark.
Larry’s rule: It tastes flat on its own — it's supposed to. Pair it with prosciutto, pecorino or soup and it makes sense.