Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Bread Baking Babes - Italian Knot Bread

May is Ilva's month in Bread Baking Babe land. The recipe she chose for us is an Italian roll called Pane di Pasta Tenera Condita, or Italian Knot Bread. This is a pretty straightforward bread, and though the list of ingredients is a little long, it's easy to make. The twist (heh) on this dough is that the buns are formed into knots. A technique I had a tough time wrapping my head around.


The dough starts with a biga - a preferment made the day before. I was a little nervous because the recipe didn't specify if the biga should be soft or firm. Mine was very firm and I worried that it wasn't right. Saturday afternoon I finished the dough and left it to rise. If it didn't rise I'd have to bow out this month.

It rose.

I cut and weighed the dough into 125g-ish pieces then attempted to knot them following Ilva's instructions. It didn't go that well, but they turned out pretty ok.

I left some plain and sprinkled some with salt before baking. They are just lovely little knots, so tender on the inside. We've dunked them in soup, made them into sandwiches, warmed them and slathered them with butter. So, so wonderful.

Head over to Ilva's for the recipe, then head over to the blogs of the rest of the Babes to check out their knotty breads.

17 comments:

NKP said...

They look great! Mine weren't knotted with that double loop on the top either.. next time!
I agree, they are so good with soup and sammies.
Wonderful buns, Sara.

Ilva said...

they look great Sara! Just the way they should actually!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Wow, your biga really rose! You did a great job knotting up your rolls - they look terrific.

Finla said...

Wow they are beautiful.

Lien said...

Isn't it funny that none of us have rolls that look alike, I just love that, they all look so good. Wow dangerous biga, glad you caught it before it took over your kitchen ;-)

ASHLEA said...

These look deliciouos and really want to make me try my hand at some homemade bread... I have always been too scared!

Cindy Khor said...

the bread looks wonderful. and they sure do rise a lot i must say... but the knots looks pretty complicated..

Juliana said...

Wow, great looking bread...and sure it rose :-) I usually use bread machine, after seeing your post, I am tempt to make without the machine. Nice pictures.

breadchick said...

Um, yea it ROSE!! Your knots are so cute and now I'm mad I didn't put salt on them because they sound fantastic.

Engineer Baker said...

Hehe - yep, I'm pretty sure you got the preferment right :) Gorgeous looking rolls, although I'm going to have to think my way through that knotting procedure before making them...

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

The more I tried to think how to knot them the more knoty the knot became. But oh what a great roll.

görel said...

These rolls look great! And I do agree that these ones were truly wonderful!

Karen Baking Soda said...

Oh yes, they are perfectly suitable for nice little additions like coarse seasalt on top, or garlic.. wonderful rlls Sarah

Annie said...

An absolute thing of beauty!!!!!
I could live on those.

kickpleat said...

they look really good! i love how much the dough rose too. nice job.

Monique said...

That dough sure is rising !!
At least you made enough rolls , unlike stupid me.Love the seasalt idea !

Dave Jones said...

Wow! they look supremely cheerful and yummy...glorious pictures.