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Monday, August 13, 2012

Risotto Bread with Basil

Now this is what I call a lazy post! The only thing I need to do is post pictures: the recipe is already all written up (with many photographs) on my friend breadsong's beautiful and creative blog. I didn't change anything to her formula (which is based on Jan Hedh's Risotto Bread from his book Artisan Breads), except adding a tad more water to the dough (it was a hot day and the flour was thirsty). Otherwise she made buns and I made a loaf although I did make the one bun, so that I could show you the crumb.
I froze the loaf for when our visitors from France arrive at the end of the month. Grilled or toasted, topped with roasted peppers and/or roasted tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella (and finished off with a balsamic reduction), it will make wonderful sandwiches. Whatever is left will be roasted as croûtons for a late summer gazpacho.
For the risotto, I used leftovers from Mark Bittman's zucchini risotto recipe using both green and yellow zucchini (hence the green and yellow specks you see in the crumb). The rice was short-grain brown. The basil was freshly picked and combined with the yogurt and the parmesan cheese, it gave the dough a very enticing aroma. The beautiful golden durum flour was a present from... breadsong when she came and visited. This was my first time baking with it and what a pleasure it was!
Thank you for everything, breadsong! For the flour, for the adapted and illustrated recipe and for the marvelous idea of stenciling with basil leaves. I would never have thought of it! 




The Risotto Bread with Basil is going to Susan from Wild Yeast for this week's issue of Yeastspotting.

15 comments:

  1. I can see why you wanted to bake this loaf up MC, it looks very delicious, so eye appealing! You have some lucky guests coming at the end of the month!

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    1. Thanks, Teresa! It is so much fun trying to bake with local and seasonal crops. Next up, blueberries!

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  2. MC,
    I am touched by your kind words (thank you!) and so happy to see this *beautiful* loaf you've created...truly a gorgeous bread!
    It's been such a pleasure discovering and baking with durum flour and I'm glad you liked baking with it too.
    Using a natural leaf for a stencil is something I first saw in Susan's lovely post: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2011/03/18/rewena-paraoa/
    (you've both created such exquisite loaves, stencilling with a whole, complete stem)

    Your bread's crumb is fantastic, the crust eggshell-thin, and the accompaniments you are going to serve with this bread - wow :^)
    This bread you've baked for your visitors is just one example of your hospitality, which is absolutely second to none!
    :^) breadsong

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    1. breadsong, this is such a lovely comment. Thank you! As for my hospitality, well, I wish you'd live closer and could come more often. It'd be so much fun to share more of our lives with you guys.

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  3. What lovely bread! I admire anyone who can make bread that looks this good.

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words, Maureen, but truly, the one to be admired is Mother Nature: she's the one who provided the stencils! All I had to do is dust them with flour...

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  4. How beautiful! I love that is is a practical beard as well using the risotto -- so creative! Now to head over to bread song....

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    1. Hello kellypea! You are in for a real treat with breadsong's blog... A treasure trove of creative yet solid recipes.

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  5. oh my gosh, this is amazing! thank you for this lazy post, which taught me so many things. first, I never seen before bread made with risotto. 2nd, I have a book from Jan Hedh (of course, he is the most famous Swedish baker!) but I was missing that book. another buy for my bookshelf. but I wonder if risotto bread ever looked as beautiful as this one made by you MC...

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    1. Thank you, Barbara! I too own a book by Jan Hedh but didn't know this one. It seems to be out-of-print here in the US but available in electronic form...

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  6. Looks beautiful. Plus a bread made from risotto is something new.

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    1. Thank you, Bergamot! The idea of adding risotto to bread was new to me too... It's fun and tasty though!

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