Pane Pugliese

The crunchy-crusted pane Pugliese, a porous rustic bread whose origins can be traced to the 15th century, is said to be a legacy of the brown country bread which was brought to Apulia by the Turks who ruled the south of Italy at the time. This delicious peasant-style sourdough bread is made with only flour, water, and yeast, but the secret to making a perfect, slightly domed Pugliese loaf is in the kneading technique, namely the wet dough folding method. Even though the slack dough is very hard to work with, it produces a wonderful, airy texture, while long fermentation enhances the rich flavors of this bread. Pane Pugliese makes for an excellent bruschetta, but it is also enjoyed as an accompaniment to various soups and stews.