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Ancient as history itself, bread was born with the hunger of primitive man. And today, there is no nation that is not proud of its own bread. And according to its varieties, you can study the geography of different countries and the customs of their inhabitants.
Bread curiosities of Italy
Italian bread has long been enjoyed around the globe. In addition to the famous ciabatta, focaccia or crispy grissini sticks, in Italy you can taste real bread masterpieces. In the Apulia region, altamura bread, unique in its properties, is baked. It is based on a dough made of durum flour, yeast and salt. At the same time, the crunchy golden crust of the finished bread turns out to be incredibly thick and can reach 3 cm, and it itself weighs almost 12 kg. This bread remains fresh for several days. The recipe of the piadina tortilla, which comes from the Emilia-Romagna region, is noticeably different. Instead of the traditional olive oil, pork fat is added to the flour here. Fill a hearty tortilla with ham, cheese with herbs or vegetable salads and usually serve for lunch.
The charm of a French bun
The bread menu of the French delights the appetite with an exquisite abundance: variations of baguettes, varieties of rustic bread made from whole wheat and rye flour, airy loaves with nuts, olives, cheese, bacon and other fillings. A separate chapter is devoted to refined pastries – croissants, sweet miniature buns, cakes with fruit fillings, hearty homemade pies. A special place among them is occupied by brioches made of pastry dough on brewer’s yeast. The main secret is that the dough prepared on the sourdough is left for a day in the cold. In the old days, it was placed in a tight shape and made several round incisions, so that the dough rose in the form of small, even balls. Today, the recipe for brioche has not changed much, except that it has been supplemented with candied fruits, chocolate pieces and fried nuts.
Harsh Finnish tortillas
The taste preferences of the Finns in relation to bread have not changed for many centuries. The clear favorite is still rye bread reikyaleipya. The dough for it is traditionally kneaded from rye flour (sometimes with the addition of wheat), a special sourdough, dark molasses, water and salt. Externally, the bread is a dense tortilla with a diameter of 20-30 cm with a small hole in the middle. In the old days, ready-made cakes were hung in huts under the ceiling, so that they dried faster and stayed fresh longer. Reikyaleipya was served with the first and second courses, but most often it was simply spread with butter and eaten with milk. From the same ingredients, the Finns bake ordinary rye bread. The main secret of its preparation is the long period of” maturation ” of the dough, which sometimes lasts more than two days.
Generous Turkish bagel
The Turks quite deservedly consider themselves notable bread-eaters. Just because they eat more bread a day than the average European eats in a week. Special honor is given to thin yufka tortillas made of unleavened dough, stuffed with hearty meat fillings. They prepare traditional Turkish duryum pies, a cross between shawarma and kebab. Another favorite bakery creation of the Turks is the simit sesame bagel, which is more like a heavy loaf in size. Before sending a batch of bagels to the mouth of a large stone oven, they are liberally smeared with grape syrup and heartily rolled in sesame seeds. They usually treat themselves to simit at breakfast, combining it harmoniously with cheese, fruit jam or jelly.
Uzbek bread according to the recipes of our ancestors
Uzbeks have carried a reverent love for bread through the centuries, so even today it is customary to cook bread here in a home oven, and not buy it in a nearby bakery. Perhaps the most popular in these parts are obi-non tortillas, baked on a special sourdough according to an old recipe. The thickest meat broth is poured with sour milk, finely chopped onions are added and the dough is kneaded from the resulting mass. It is left for 16 hours, after which it is topped up with warm water and covered with the necessary amount of flour. The resulting dough is left for another 6 hours, and then make tortillas from it. Equally honored guests at the Uzbek table are patyrs, which are baked on the basis of butter or lamb fat. Sometimes sesame oil and a little chopped onion are added to the dough, which makes the lush tortillas acquire a wonderful aroma.
Practical Indian Flatbreads
The people of India treat bread with no less reverence, carefully passing the secret recipes of antiquity from mouth to mouth. Thus, naan wheat tortilla made from unleavened dough without any additives is baked in a hot tandoori clay oven, where the temperature reaches several hundred degrees. The finished flatbread, according to custom, serves as a plate for the crumbly pilaf beloved by the Hindus, and at the same time as a cutlery. Naan is often prepared with minced meat, potatoes, grated cheese, vegetables or served with soups. Of course, such a dish is impossible to imagine without aromatic seasonings like cumin, garlic or kevra. However, naan with raisins and other sweet fillings is also not uncommon in India.
The Mexican Queen of Bread
The recipe for the famous tartilla, or corn tortilla, was successfully mastered by the ancient Indians. And today it is prepared in any Mexican house. Corn flour (sometimes wheat flour) is mixed with vegetable oil, warm water and a pinch of salt, after which it turns into a pliable elastic dough. A rare Mexican dish does without the participation of tartilla, whether it is a burrito with juicy minced meat, hot enchilada tubes with cheese and fresh tomatoes or a colorful quesadilla with chicken and mushrooms. They make quick sandwiches and canapes from corn tortillas, hearty rolls and homemade pies. Tartilla can easily replace the side dish for hot dishes or go into the soup to make it thicker or richer.
Bread really is the head of everything. This wisdom is readily accepted in any country in the world. After all, with bread, any dish becomes tastier, especially if it is prepared with your own hands.