Corn and Ricotta Pagnotta

From Italian Food Safari, Maeve O’Meara with Guy Grossi, Hardie Grant Books, 2010. Recipe by Daniel Chirico.

I’m beginning to enjoy making breads. There’s a real pleasure in pounding away at dough and waiting for it to rise. I’m not always totally successful but I’m sure that I’ll get there eventually.

This particular bread had two flours: a 00 flour and maize flour. I used quantities of 500 g 00 flour and 250 g maize flour. These were mixed with 150 g of ricotta, a tablespoon of honey and salt. Half a tablespoon of yeast was mixed with 500 ml of just warm water and when it had dissolved it was poured into the flour mix. This was kneaded for about 10 minutes then left to rise.

After about 2 hours the dough was knocked down, shaped into a ball and placed in a bowl that had been lined with a flour-dusted tea towel. It was left to rise for another hour.

At this stage it was turned out on a semolina-lined baking tray and placed into the hot oven. After about half an hour it was ready.

My dough, I think, was a little softer than it should have been and flattened itself out somewhat on the tray. It was still a very edible bread and all was soon eaten up.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔