RUSTIC BREAD

Fancy some Italian toast or bruschetta? What makes it so delicious is the crusty rustic bread it is made from which is enhanced by being rubbed with cut garlic, sprinkled with salt and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Tasty toppings turn this humble snack into a great lunch dish which can use up pantry stores or vegetables.

Before you can have a good bruschetta you need good bread. Italian ciabatta bread is often used but it is quite tricky to make. Here is a recipe for a really easy alternative that produces a rustic, crusty, and delicious bread. You don’t have to knead or prove this bread. The recipe originally came from Domaine de L’Arlot in France.

Rustic crusty bread

1. Sieve 500g of unbleached bread flour (this is called strong flour – plain flour will not work) into a large bowl.
2. Mix in ½ tbsp of instant yeast and ½ tbsp of salt.
3. Add 460 – 475ml of lukewarm water (the mixture should be quite wet but you might like to experiment with the amount of water).
4. Mix well with your hands.
5. Cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
6. In the morning remove the bowl and allow the mixture to come to room temperature this might take a couple of hours in winter.
7. Use a dough scraper to remove the mixture on to a well floured board.
8. Sprinkle the dough generously with flour and shape into a long oval shape.
9. Put on a tray lined with baking paper and sprinkled with flour.
10. Place into a cold oven and cook for 45-50 minutes at 210-220ºC fan forced until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
11. Cool on a wire rack.

Bruschetta

Toast slices of bread under the grill or on the barbeque. Rub with cut garlic, drizzle oil and sprinkle with salt then add your toppings.

Suggestions for toppings

• Rub toast with a very ripe tomato and top with sliced tomatoes, a spoonful of tinned cannellini beans and basil leaves.
• Top with chopped tomato and red onion mixed with a little basil, crushed garlic and grated parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
• Spread with goat’s cheese sprinkled with finely chopped rosemary, salt and pepper and top with bottled sliced roasted red capsicum.
• Sauté 3 sliced green shallots in olive oil until soft but not browned and 3 chopped tomatoes cook on high for 1 minute. Add a can of cannellini beans, 1/3 cup of black olives and 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar and cook until just heated through. Stir in some baby spinach leaves and rocket then season with salt and pepper. This enough to top 4 large slices of bread.
• Top with a antipasto mixture such as roasted capsicum, semi-dried tomatoes, olives, marinated artichokes, marinated mushrooms or salami.

Sauté some cherry tomatoes, small mushrooms and bacon in a pan with some olive oil add some baby spinach leaves and cook until wilted. Season and place on top of toast spread with a little ricotta.

top with field mushrooms sautéed in olive oil with a little garlic and pancetta, drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.

Roast some beetroots in some olive oil and a little red wine vinegar until tender. Peel when cool enough to handle. Toss in a bowl with some rocket and crumbled feta. Serve on toast with a sprinkling of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Mix a can of drained sardines with a diced tomato, lemon juice and chopped parsley. Season and place on toast.

Puree some marinated artichokes with a little garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley and place on toast.

Top with grilled asparagus, prosciutto and parmesan and little olive oil and lemon juice

Other ingredients that can be used include various types of pesto and tapenades, all sorts of cheese including grilled haloumi, mozzarella, bocconcini, blue cheese, capers and pickles, smoked trout, salmon, tuna and various salad ingredients.

Using stale bread

If you have any bread left over don’t waste it. Use it to make soft bread crumbs, or toast it to make dry crumbs you can keep. Tear up left over bread, sprinkle with olive oil and use it to top gratins. Fry cubes of bread in oil to make croutons for soups and salads. Make a bread salad. Soak bread in water with ¼ cup of red wine vinegar for at least 20 minutes squeeze. Crumble the damp bread into a bowl and add salad ingredients such as sliced tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, boiled eggs, flaked tuna, chopped parsley and a little vinaigrette. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Place a slice of toasted bread in the bottom of a soup bowl before adding soup. Soak bread in milk or stock. Squeeze out excess moisture and crumble it into casseroles to thicken them.