Asturian-American Migration Forum

Does anyone have a good recipe for the crusty bread that I experienced in Asturias? It reminded me of some of the "Italian" breads that I grew up with in western New York. One of the two bakeries that made it there has gone out of business (no one in the family wanted to take over the business). I can find a bread very much like it on Boston's north shore, but not here in New Haven. I want to be able to make my own.

Bob Martinez

I too would like to find out more about the bread I chowed down on in Oviedo on a daily basis. My formula was the following:

1 loaf bread (very thick crust, very soft interior with giant air holes throughout)

plus

1 box cheap Rioja (what can I say? I lived on VERY meager means in Asturies)

plus

1 swiss army knife

equals

1 happy (and fat) Xosé!!!!

If you two mean the crusty, baguette-type bread we eat here with everything, here's the recipe:

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PAN DE BARRA / BAGUETTE

Makes 2 loaves:

1 tbsp active dried yeast
16 fl.oz. lukewarm water
1 tbsp salt
3-1/4 to 4 cups plain flour

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water, stir until yeast is dissolved and leave for 15 minutes. Stir in the salt.

Add the flour, 1-1/4 cup at a time to obtain a smooth dow. Knead for 5 minutes.

Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl and cover with a plastic bag. Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2-4 hours.

On a lightly floured surface shape into two long loaves. Place on a baking sheet sprinkled with flour and leave to rise another 5 minutes.

Score the tops diagonally with a sharp knife. Brush with water and place in a cold oven. Place a pan of boiling water on the base of the oven and set the oven to 200ºC /400ºF/Gas 6. Bake until crusty and golden, about 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
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It's easy to make, but it takes time and patience. Now you know what you can do this week-end! I hope you find the yeast, I always had a hard time finding it in the USA.

Terechu

Thanks, Terechu. Do you know the gluten content of the flour commonly used in Spain? I wonder if it is the same as ours or if I should look for a specialty flour.

Yeast really isn't hard to find here, at least in the northeast, but some of the grocery stores shelve it in unlikely places. I've seen it recently both in the dairy cooler and on the same shelf with flour.

Bob, I believe the normal all-purpose flour has around 10-12% gluten contents. For bread baking flours with up to 30% are better as they make a more consistent dough.

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Bob, creo que la harina normal tiene un contenido de gluten de un 10-12%. Para hacer pan son mejores las harinas con hasta un 30% de gluten, ya que queda la masa más consistente.

saludos
Terechu

I made the Pan De Barra today & it was wonderful!! Thanks for the recipe. I had to use more flour than the recipe called for as I just had plain white flour available but the texture was as stated crusty on the outside & tender on the inside. I also made basil pesto to go with the bread.
Shirley Garcia

The 3rd time I made the bread I used KingArthur flour. The bread was even better than last time. I have enjoyed looking at the other recipes too. In addition, I went on the Tienda from Spain website and found great products and more recipes to try. My husband & I also enjoyed looking at the fantastic photos of Spain available from this site. Shelly Kramer & I did make contact and enjoyed discussing Jose Garcia Garcia relatives that we have in common. As I continue to read the various topics I am impressed & applaud Bob for his efforts.
Shirley Garcia

I do like to cook. but I can't take credit for the website. Art, Suronda and I started the website about five years ago. It has grown beyond our wildest imaginings. Fortunately, our members volunteered to help out.

Now, Art does all of the technical stuff - a true labor of love and very time consuming. The numerous moderators, of which I am one, and the translators do the rest of the work. We are a truly international group, with birthplaces in Asturias, the US, Peru, Cuba and elsewhere.

On the bread issue, try experimenting with spelt (escanda) flour. It's one of the oldest Asturian flours. Measuring or weighing can only give a rough guide for breadmaking, because it depends on the moisture content of the flour, which can be quite variable.

Terechu, esa receta es casi igual a la de pan Cubano.
No puedo creer que no encuentres dry yeast en los Estados Unidos. Aqui en el area de Washington, Dc inckuyendo a West Virginia hay dos clases, Fleishman y Star que vienen en sobres individuales o en pomos que sale mas economico.


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Terechum, that recepi look like Cuban bread. I can;t believe that you can not find dry yeast in US. Here in the Washington, DC, area encluding West Virginia you can find two brandsm Fleishman and Star in individual packages and in in jars

I use dry yeast all the time, and it is easily found in most of our grocery stores here in the northeast, although not always in a logical location within the store. If you cannot find yeast locally, you can always purchase it from http://search.kingarthurflour.com/?N=0& ... st&x=0&y=0

The big box stores like Costco and BJs sell yeast in large packages of 1#, which is a very cheap way to buy it. Once open it keeps in the fridge for a long time (months).

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Los grandes tiendas como Costco y BJs venden levadura en grandes paquetes de 1#, lo que es una manera de comprala muy barata. Una vez abierto se mantiene en la nevera durante un largo período de tiempo (meses).

Art wrote: Una vez abierto se mantiene en la nevera durante un largo período de tiempo (meses).

también se puede helar levadura fresca en la nevera. pero si no tienes prisa: simplemente empieza su propio masa fermentada. tardará alrededor dos días antes puedes usarlo para '*acción* y no cuesta nada, aparte de pocas cucharas de harina. las diferencias entre levadura comprado y casero son como infierno y cielo { something like that }, ß

How exactly do you make homemade yeast?

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¿Precisamente cómo se hace levadura en casa?

or sourdough yeast, you just sort of keep the culture going in a more liquid state than bread dough by periodically dividing the culture, using some to make sourdough bread, and mixing the rest of the culture with a little more water and flour. I kept one going for years (refrigeration was OK).

. I kept one going for years (refrigeration was OK)

Bob, you must have a lot of free time in your hands.

I have been buying spelt bread for the last 4-6 weeks. Here in Dubai we pay around AED 12.50 - USD 3.40 vs AED 5.5 - USD 1.48 for 1/2 kilo of a normal white bread of even wholemeal bread.
I don't know why, maybe it is the way of it is baked but I find it more crumby that the 'normal' bread. It may last longer but I am not 100% convinced of the same.
My preferences are going for a mix rye-wheat bread. I remember buying it many years back in the market of Meiras in Lugo. They sliced huge loaves or at least 5 kilos each and sold them by the weight.

Is, do you remember the name of the breadmaker in Grandas de Salime, could he be called Antonio?