Pane Toscano: first of a new series of recipes from Tuscany

This is the first recipe of a series about dishes from Tuscany, my own land in Italy.
Coming from the Middle Ages, this is an unsalted bread for disputed reasons.
On those days the salt was expensive, mainly because of imposts of some kind,  and in the countryside the poor families could not afford such price.
Some others say that the salt was not easy to be found. I guess they might have both happened.

As in every country, you could find hundreds, thousands of different recipes about the same dish.
Personally I have 4 recipes coming from 4 different books, but I find the following satisfying my family.
As you will see at the end, being unsalted makes this bread very versatile and a perfect mach for savory or sweet matching. Surely this bread loves strong flavors.

I'm afraid, if you are not patient, you won't love this version.
It takes longer than 48 hours before getting into the oven.
Of course, you don't need to watching the dough proving every time.
This is an interesting part of the bread making. You don't need to attend the chemical reaction, even if, I have to say honestly, I peek every now and then so see what happens.

Hand kneading recipe
It gives 1kg loaf, more or less

First day

Melt 5gr of fresh yeast in 180gr tap water, then add up 300gr of strong white flour, trying to combine everything, but working out as least as possible, or you will activate too much the gluten, avoiding to burst the typical rich and sour smell. Cover with a wet cloth and keep it in a cupboard.
After 20-24 hours or so, this is what you will find, hopefully:

Second day

Mix up 50gr of water with the proven dough, then, when it is all well combined, like here below, add up 100gr of strong white flour, and knead briefly. Cover the bowl and wait up 20-24 more hours.

During this process we have been feeding up the yeast, fungi, small microorganisms that convert the carbohydrates in the flour to carbon dioxide (which is way the dough grows in size) and alcohols (that is way we smell ethanol which, btw, evaporates in the oven). 

Third day

Melt 2gr of fresh yeast ( just a small amount to keep the dough going for a short time), in 150gr water.

Then mix up 250gr of strong white flour. Try to work out at least as possible.

If the dough is sticky, dust your hands with flour, then make a long loaf and fold it ( this move gives the dough some more strength). Dust generously the dough with flour and wrap it up in a kitchen towel.

Wait for, at least 90 minutes. You will see the dough growing and full of cracks and stretch marks on the top.

Dust a baking tray and turn on the oven 220 C.

After 15 minutes, more or less the time for the oven to reach the temperature, move the dough from the towel to the tray, making sure it does not loose the shape.

15 minutes at 220C

25 minutes at 185C

15 minutes at 185C on a rack in the oven, so the bottom will cook up properly.

This is the masterpiece result 

It goes well with this, perfect for a wholesome breakfast

and this

and this, Crostini neri toscani, made of chicken liver

and anything else with strong flavor, such as Parma Ham and pickles.

Buon appetito!!