POPPY CRUSTED JALAPENO AND PARMESAN LOAF
- 150 g bubbly, active starter (see link below)
- 250 g warm water, preferably filtered (for a more soft and pliable dough, you can increase the water up to 300 g – 325 g total)
- 25 g olive oil
- 500 g bread flour (not all purpose flour)
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 15 red and green jalapenos, finely sliced
- 50 g parmesan cheese, finely cubed
- enough poppy seeds to cover the crust
- 1 egg
- fine ground cornmeal, for dusting
Make dough: Use a cloth lined bowl (instead of dutch oven), for the second rise. You will need a six litre dutch oven for baking. Whisk starter, water, and olive oil in large bowl. Add flour and salt. Squish everything together with your hands until all of flour is absorbed. Dough will be dry and shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, reusable wrap or clean, very damp kitchen towel. Let rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes or up to one hour, if preferred. After dough has rested, add chillies and parmesan, work dough in bowl into rough ball, about 15 seconds.
Bulk rise: Now dough needs to rise. Cover bowl with wrap or very damp kitchen cloth. Let rest in warm spot to rise. Dough is ready when it no longer looks dense and has doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 3 – 12 hours, depending on the temperature of your ingredients, the potency of your starter and surrounding environment. For example, in the summer rise times can take anywhere between 3 – 4 hours at 30 °C, whereas in the winter, the dough will take about 10 – 12 hours at 20 °C.
Optional step – stretch and fold the dough: During bulk rise, you have the option to perform a series of ‘stretch and folds’ to strengthen dough. Start 30 minutes into bulk rise. Gather a portion of dough, stretch it upwards and then fold it over itself. Rotate bowl ¼ turn and repeat this process until you have come full circle to complete one set. Do this once or twice, spaced about an hour apart. Although this step is not mandatory, it will increase total volume and height of your bread.
Cut and shape dough: Divide your work surface in half; lightly flour one side (for cutting) and leave other half clean (for shaping). Remove dough from bowl, and place onto floured section so that it does not stick. You do not need to ‘punch down’ dough; it will gently deflate as you fold and shape it. Cut dough in half to make two loaves, or leave it whole for single loaf. To shape, use a bench scraper to move dough to non-floured section (if there is any flour present, it will be difficult to shape – brush away any excess). Starting at top, fold dough over toward the centre. Give it a slight turn, and then fold over next section of dough. Repeat until you have come full circle. Then flip dough over and place it seam side down. Using your hands, gently cup sides of dough and rotate it, using quarter turns in circular motion. You can also pull it towards you to even out shape. Repeat this process until you are happy with its appearance.
Second Rise: Now dough needs to rise again, but for shorter period of time. Coat bottom of dutch oven with cornmeal. Alternatively, use parchment paper to prevent sticking (this is what I do, now). Place dough inside for a second, shorter rise, about 30 minutes to one hour, and cover with lid of pot or a very damp cloth. Dough is ready when slightly puffy, but not double in size. Preheat your oven to 232 °C towards the tail end of second rise. Brush dough with egg and cover with poppy seeds.
Score the dough: Right before bread goes into the oven, make a shallow slash about 50 mm long in the centre of dough. Use a bread lame, sharp pairing or a small serrated steak knife.
Bake the dough: Place bread into oven on centre rack (lid on) and reduce temperature to 205 °C. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid, and continue to bake (uncovered) for an additional 40 minutes or until deep, golden brown.
Keep in mind that all ovens are different; you might have to make minimal adjustments to these temperatures. You can also take internal temperature of your bread to double check that it is done. For sourdough, it should read about 96 – 99 °C. Remove bread from oven, and cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.
Do not cut too soon or else inside will have a gummy texture!
Notes: When shaping, the idea is for dough to catch enough surface tension on a non-floured area in order to create a tight ball. If there is flour present, it will slide around…and drive you nuts.
Link to steps on creating a sourdough starter:
https://yourrecipeblog.com/recipes/charcoal-sourdough-loaf/
Posting and photos: Natacha Visagie.
