Semolina Bread with Peperoncino

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This is the recipe for Pane Cafone, a typical rustic bread from the South of Italy.  We added some dried peppers and some chili pepper for a fiery twist.

First Dough:
80 g  strong bread flour 70 g  Refreshed Natural Yeast
50 g water

Second Dough:
90 g  strong bread flour
50 g water


Third Dough:
450g  strong bread flour
400g  fine semolina
25g salt
550 g water
dried chilli pepper


To make the first dough dissolve the refreshed Natural Yeast in the water then add the flour. Form a ball and put it in a glass bowl sealed with cling film or in a tupperware and let it proof for 3 hours.

To make the second dough dissolve the first dough in the water then add the flour. Form a ball and put it in a glass bowl sealed with cling film or in a tupperware and let it proof for 3 hours.

To make the third dough take the second dough and dissolve it in half of the water. Mix the two flours and then add them to the mix, adding more water as you go along. Dissolve the salt in the remaining water and add it to the dough. Work the dough until it is soft and elastic.

Once you are happy with the dough stretch it into a rectangle and fold it following the scheme below:

Then turn the dough of 90 degrees and fold it again. Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes then repeat the folds. Let the dough rest another 20 minutes.

Now you can shape your bread; cut the dough in half, then with each piece form a rectangle. Sprinkle your chilli pepper on the dough, you can use ground chilli or pieces of chilli... it is up to you. Roll the dough tightly into a baton.

Cover the batons or single bread and let them rise for 8 to 10 hours. We shaped the batons, put them on a baking tray lined with baking paper then put the whole baking tray into a big plastic bag which we sealed with a peg. This method keeps the dough moist and creates an ideal proofing environment.

Preheat your oven at 250 degrees, bake the batons for 20 minutes at 240 C and for another 20 at 200 C.


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