Fallin' for Mafalda

This is one of those recipes from my must do list. I saw it in a magazine called La Cucina Italian. I couldn't find the recipe on the website for some reason. Maybe the web site was created after this particular article was published. In any case I had spotted it three years ago. That was the year, my husband made a last ditch visit to Wegmans our local supermarket to buy my Christmas present. Gasp! Yup, I know pretty lame. He's still living with that terrible decision. No, but really he did okay that year, given the circumstances. (I am laughing as I write). He bought me this magazine La Cucina Italiana, Cooking Light cook book of whatever year, marcona chocolate covered almonds, cheese knife set, apple slicer and some olives. All in all I really can't complain. What really killed me was the fact that he did that all last minute like.

In any case, just in case you were wondering, he has improved. I received a sewing machine this year for Christmas, something I really wanted and needed.

Here is the beauty of a bread that is mafalda. Wish I had some crumb pictures for yah. It had a beautiful tender crumb. The dough was so soft and supple, I really could have just kept kneading it. Not sticky at all. Very nice to work with. Durum flour is pretty nice.
These babies are heading off to Susan's blog for Yeastspotting.
Mafalda
adapted from La Cucina Italiana

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tabelspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
2 1/2 cups durum flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
sesame seeds for sprinkling
corn meal if you are going to use a peel

Proof yeast- sprinkle yeast on a 1/2 cup of luke warm water- about 105F. After a couple minutes add 3/4 cup warm water, 1 tabelspoon of olive oil and salt.

In a large bowl mix flours. Pour the olive oil/water mixture into the bowl, stirring constantly. After it comes together remove from the bowla nd begin to knead it. Working it pretty good, slapping it on the counter a few times (good for aggression over thoughtless ways to buy presents, ha ha). Place that beautiful lump of dough into a well greased (with olive oil) bowl. Cover and let rise until double in volume.

Remove when doubled and punch down. Let it rest for about five minutes, covered. Cut the dough in half. Roll into a very long rope, about a yard or so. Cut the rope in 2/3 and 1/3. Twist the ropes one at a time back and forth creating the leaves. Shape the other side and pinch together. The rope that is a tad bit longer leave the end straight. Bring the extension of the ropes over the top middle. Dont pinch down under, just pinch at the top. Place a little of the cornmeal down on a baking sheet and put the shapes on that. Let rise again for about an hour. Or place on the peel if you are using one.

Preheat oven to 425F. Spritz the shapes with water and sprinkle the sesame seeds on. Place int he oven. Set the timer for ten minutes. Place bread in oven. Open the oven two more times to spritz with water before the ten minutes are up. Once the ten minutes are up reduce the oven temp to 400F and bake for about 20 minutes more.
I shared this one with my neighbor(s) "L" who so graciously plowed our driveway during the major snow dumpage that was last weekend. My husband was pretty much lifeless after shveling for about five or so hours. So after some more dumpage, out comes my neighbor. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And just one more little side note.

I don't know if you have seen this video yet but what a hoot. These ladies mix up some amazing potato salad.