My aim for a long while has been to make a Filone, sort of like this version from Jim Lahey. Slightly bruciato or burnt, as he describes it, his features a spectacularly gelatinized crumb and wheaty tastiness. I still don’t know whether the breads should have a shape more akin to a baguette (with a pointed edge) like the version from Tom Cats offered in Maggie Glezer’s fine book.

But Italians aren’t fussy (like the French) so far as shaping – preferring elements that are more about flow than tension. But since my most recent attempt at making Jim’s famous no-knead bread with levain didn’t work as well as those tried with his commercial yeast version, I have decided to go back to the drawing board, using a recipe from SFBI, once again. Their version adds some rye and whole wheat. In addition, they use a poolish and some levain to the dough.

I decided to go hybrid and made the poolish with a trace of yeast. Only because of time, being too lazy to do the math late in the evening.

Slashed and ready for entry into the forno!

I must of deviated from Lahey’s filone style of a loosley shaped loaf. In the end, it looks like I either over-shaped or put it in the oven too young (green) or a few minutes too early. The dough itself was fantastic, more akin to a baguette dough. And still I wanted something a bit more rustic. Perhaps it needed more hydration? I also used wheat bran instead of flour on the final dough in the couche like they do at Sullivan Street Bakery.

Just out of the oven. Next time, maybe I give it a few more minutes for the slightly bruciato (burnt) or caramelized crust. The bread is now cooling and I am  wondering about the crumb and the taste. It’s not Jim’s bread, but the wheaty aroma is really nice. Can’t wait to taste it!

Tasting

All in all a nice crumb and a perfect accompaniment with cheese or sauccison sec!