Royal Crown's Tortano Bread

 

Royal Crown’s Tortano Bread (Artisan Baking Across America by Maggie Glezer)        

 

  

PRE-FERMENT: Evening Before Baking   

 

DOUGH: Next Morning:

Mix the dough, ferment for 4 h. Shape,

proof (1 ½ h), bake for 45-60 min

1/4 tsp instant yeast
240 g water 105–115 °F (1 cup)(only 1/3 c will be used)
99 g unbl. bread flour (3.5 oz, 2/3 cup)

567 g unbl. bread flour (20 oz, 3-3/4 cups)
414 g water (14.6 oz, 1 3/4 cups plus 3 Tbsps) all of the pre-ferment
12 g honey (0.4 oz, 2 tsp)
56 g  potato puree (2 oz, 1/4 cup packed)

18 g salt salt (0.5 oz, 1 Tbsp)

Preparing the Pre-Ferment: Stir the yeast into the water in a glass measure and let it stand for 5-10 min. Add 1/3 cup of this yeasted water (discard the rest) to the flour and beat this very sticky starter until it is well combined. Cover and let it ferment until it is full of huge bubbles and sharp tasting, about 12 h. If it is very warm and the pre-ferment is fermenting very quickly, place it in the fridge after 3 hrs of fermenting. In the morning, remove it 30 min to an hour before beginning the final dough.

 
  1. Mix flour and water into a rough, wet dough in a bowl. Cover, let it rest for 20 min.
  2. Add the pre-ferment, honey, potato and salt and the mix the dough by hand. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in an oiled container, cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  3. Let it ferment until doubled in bulk and filled with large air bubbles, about 4 hours. S&F the dough 4 times in 20-min intervals (at 20, 40, 60, and 80 min).
  4. Leave it undisturbed for the remaining time (160 min). Do not allow to over ferment.
  5. Turn fermented dough out onto a well floured counter, round it, let it rest (20 mins).
  6. Place the dough ball on floured baking paper. Sprinkle flour over the center of the ball. Push your fingers into the center to make a large 4-inch hole. The diameter should be about 12“.
  7. Dust with flour, cover, let proof until it slowly springs back when lightly pressed (1 ½ h).
  8. Arrange a rack on the oven’s second to top shelf and place a baking stone on it.
  9. Preheat oven to 450 °F (230 °C). Unwrap, turn over, slash with 4 cuts in the shape of a cross. Bake until dark brown, 50-60 min, rotating it halfway into the bake. Let cool on a rack.