English

One of the most viewed videos on my youtube channel is about the calabrian bread and in this article I just want to share with you an easy recipe that can be prepared easily and baked in the kitchen oven. You can use the starter or the yeast for this recipe but, of course, the original one includes the starter that need to be refreshed before using it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 kg semolina flour
• 500 gr white flour to use on the pastry board
• 500 ml warm water
• 20 gr salt
• 350 gr refreshed starter

For the Nimma, the second hydration:

• 200 ml warm water

DIRECTIONS:

To make this calabrian bread it’s important to beginn with the starter that needs to be refreshed the night before you plan to bake. Mix the starter with the flour(set 300 gr aside) and add the warm salted water. Don’t add the entire amount of water at once, just gradually add it to the dough.

Knead it for about 20 minutes and add the last part of semolina flour. It will help to “clean” the bowl from pieces of dough. Keep kneading until you get a smooth dough.

La Nimma – second Hydration

For the second Hydration of the dough you need to use warm water (you might not need all of it) and pour it to the dough while kneading. The dough is ready when it’s easy to poke it with the fingers. At this point you can shape the dough in whatever you like: long loaf, a round or a ring. Use a pastry or kneading board to do and prep your surface sprinkling the white flour.

Let the bread rise for about 4/6 hours in a warm place, around 20°C and cover it with a light blanket.

Preheat the oven and you can choose between 2 possibilies:

1. 180° for about 45 mins/1 hour;
2. 200°/210° for the first 10 mins
   180° for about 25 mins
   180° for about 10/15 mins with the oven door open

Serve it warm with oil, salt and calabrian oregano!