Spicing it up a little - Filone All'Arrabbiata, or Spicy Loaf with Chilli and Paprika

 

 

I am a total novice when it comes to bread making and when I was watching The Great British Bake Off' recently when it was bread week, I was in awe of some of the gorgeous looking breads that were made, and it got me wondering whether I could somehow produce something that resembled bread, firstly, and then something that would not be written off by Paul Hollywood as either not a 'good bake' or maybe even 'overproved' or whatever other pitfalls that can befall the home cook who fancies giving bread making a whirl instead of resorting to the saviour of sandwich makers everywhere, Warbutons (at least that's what it is in our house...)

 

Anyway, I am not saying this is something the master baker would raise his eyebrows and give a wry smile at before saying "not bad", but it's nice, it's definitely got that homemade quality and what's more I have just discovered in the  last 15 minutes or so that it is absolutely divine sliced and then topped with a slither (OK, maybe a slab) of Cambozola Blue Brie, at room temperature of course. Bang goes the diet for today then.

 

The bread is Spicy Loaf with Chilli and Paprika, or Filone All'Arrabbiata which, if you ask me, sounds far better and it is from Gino D'Acampo's 'Italian Home Baking'. The original recipe calls for cayenne pepper but he mentions in the preamble that you can use paprika, so I did, seeing as that is the one I found first in the chaos that is my herbs and spices drawer.

 

This is the type of baking that one does when it is a day where you have very little on, it's pretty grim looking outside and you feel like giving your upper body a bit of a workout. My arms now feel like they might be someone else's.

 

Filone All'Arribbiata, or Spicy Loaf with Chilli and Paprika, adapted from Gino D'Acampo's 'Italian Home Baking'.

 

Makes 1 loaf

 

225g strong white flour

100g wholemeal flour

1 tsp salt

7g fast action yeast

210ml warm water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

3 tsp dried chilli flakes

1 tsp cayenne pepper (or paprika, which I used, see above)

 

Method:

 

Brush a baking tray and a large bowl with oil

 

 

Mix the flours, salt and yeast together in another large bowl and then make a well in the centre. Pour in the water and oil and then mix to make a soft dough.

 

 

Once you have brought the ingredients together, transfer the dough on to a floured work surface and kneed for about 10 minutes until you have a dough that is smooth and elastic.

 

 

Shape the dough into a ball and place in the oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

 

 

 

When risen, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down. Flatten the dough and scatter over the chilli flakes and paprika then begin to kneed again for about 3 minutes to evenly distribute the spices.

 

 

 

Shape into an oval shape and place on the baking tray and then leave to rest for five minutes.

 

 

 

Use a sharp knife to make five diagonal cuts in the top of the loaf and then brush the top with oil. Cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place again for about 40 minutes.

 

Preheat the oven to 200c, Gas 6

 

Brush the top of the loaf with oil and bake in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes.

 

 

When baked, the bottom will sound hollow when you tap it. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly.

 

 

 

This bread would be stunning with soup or dips, With cheese it's amazing!