Making Bread in the Country

My host parents had mentioned that the country house had a wood fired oven (I'm not sure exactly what they are called), and that they wanted me to try it out with my bread. Right-o. I have never used one before, but I'm not too worried. On the way there my host mom mentions that I will be making it with six packages of yeast, and three kg of flour - effectively multiplying my recipe by six. It's now approximately one and a half times larger than a big batch I'd make in Canada. I'm starting to get a little nervous. The store worker tells us that we want rimacinata flour. OK. No biggie. Sure, I've never used this kind of flour before, or this oven, or made this much at once, but I'm sure it will work...

My host parents are so excited and I'm afraid I will let them down. I gather my ingredients and heat my water and milk mixture, and my host dad gets out the huge trough I will be working in. I'm so nervous now I could cry. I take a guess at how much sugar and salt I want, and mix my dry ingredients. I pour the water mixture over the flour, but unfortunately the wood isn't entirely water tight and some of the liquid leaks onto the floor. Luckily the rest of the process goes well and sooon I have something vaguely resembling bread dough. I allow it to rise, then form it into seven loaves and one focaccia and allow it to rise again. Meanwhile, my host dad lights the fire in the oven to allow it to get hot enough. Finally it is time, and my host dad and Pino (the guy who runs the farm when my host dad isn't there), remove the embers, and place the bread inside, along with the chickpea flour batter my host mom made. We close the oven, and leave. It is frustrating to have to wait without being able to see it.

We take it out and I can't help but feel proud of myself. I know that I would have cried had they failed. I had invested a whole day into this project, as well as my host parent's and Pino's time, and it meant a lot to succeed.

On a side note, we made bread again last weekend and burnt it. It was sad. I think the oven was hotter the second time.

Ingredients.

Tasting to check salt level, also feeling to check texture.

After second rise.

Placing the bread in the oven.

After 25 mins, or so.

Finished product!