Recently, my Montreal chef friends Michele and Guisseppe were baking a bread similar to a kaiser roll, the old fashioned sandwich roll that characteris
Rosetta
tically features a hard crust and soft center. Up north, they call these breads Rosettas or Michettas. In actuality, they’re Italian breads from Lazio region. They have a look known as “soffiato,” which translates as “blown,” because of the way the top crust has the markings from a metal stamp and its inside is airy and light.
I wanted to get into the fray of baking my Canadian-bound buddies. And so I proceeded. Here’s what happened.
Not having the stamp for the crust, I utilized a technique from an Austrian baker. My best way of describing it is rather than use a tool, I hand-crafted a single braid (or plait) that resemble’s a sailors slip knot.
Anyway, this dough is a soft roll in the crumb, with both yeast and a biga (pre-fermented dough) of 65 percent hydration. Oil and lard will usually enrich this dough to give both flavor and crispness to the crust (Strutto), so I went solely with extra virgin olive oil.
There’s a bit of sugar to sweeten the roll, which I sort of like, as it compensates for the salty toppings. In this case, I enjoyed the bread with Trapenese pesto, as well as mozzarella and prosciutto. And so will you, and just for extra zest, add a cold glass of water or, even better, a tall glass of birra.
This is the 3rd time in a week I see Rosetta breads on the blogs.. I think it’s a sign I have to make them!! I don’t have a stamp either but my italian friend told me I could also use an apple cutter… which I don’t have either 🙁
Speaking of soft center rosette are supposed to be hollow in the middle 😉
I think it’s a trend Sandra….Yes I’ve seen the hollow from the stamp, but my rosetta are an adaption of the classic…sort of Kaiser roll meets Michetta…Hapsburg dynasty comes back to Italy? Nothing perfect unless it’s disheveled sometimes….Heretical, maybe? I saw a sight where the stamp can be formed by hand shaping the rossette shape… Will be awaiting you conclusions!~
Your photo of the rosetta ‘flower’ roll, with green lettuce ‘leaves’, is really beautiful!
Thanks Breadsong, still trying to make the Miche with teff….total disaster!
Hi, I just sent you a PM on TFL re: miche.
:^) breadsong
I made kaiser rolls last friday using a stiff sourdough starter and no commercial yeast. Butter instead of oil and a pinch of sugar… and they were gone before I could take photos. I used the knot tecnhique shaping, too.
Have to make them again.
Yours look very inspiring, beautiful photos!
codruta
Thanks for stopping by Codruta, going to make them again, but with strutta, and oil, they go quick because they’re great for eating sandwiches!
A while ago an Italian visited my bakery clutching an appaling google translation of a Michetta recipe that he wanted me to make. I soon found a video on Youtube. It so happened I had some Italian 00 flour in stock and set about making them. When read he came back to try them and was delighted. The central knob was well risen and he cut one open to look for the hollow centre cause by the central knob rising. I used an apple cutter as the video suggested.
I could not find anymore Italian 00 in the supermarkets and had to rely on the flour I produce in my mill for the next batch. Although they were light and airy, the centre did not rise as it had done in the first batch and the crust was less crisp. Without the hollow centre he was not so pleased. I will try again perhaps with some AP flour.
good day, I desperately need the recipe for michetta. were can i find it?
Tiziana basic parameters
100% flour
35% water
malt 0.1%
yeast .1%
Salt 2%
Biga 20%