Ann_T

@PatrickT, I never go by time as it depends if the dough had been in the fridge for a cold fermentation. Takes longer to warm up before shaping and sometimes longer to proof. Also, because I often use very little yeast, the proofing can also take longer. Anywhere from an hour to more than two. Yesterdays yeast batch only had one gram of yeast so it was a very slow fermentation as well, even at room temperature. Same for the sourdough batch. Just 50g of discarded starter.

@PatrickT, thank you Patrick. I'm not good when it comes to doing videos, but I have a blog post with pictures of how I shape. It is what works for me. https://thibeaultstable.com/2020/04/02/shaping-baguettes-pictorial/

I've mentioned often that I think that bread is very forgiving. Hard to screw up. I started two batches of dough on Sunday morning before leaving for work. One was a regular 500g batch with just 1 gram of yeast, 12 gr of salt and 315g of water for 63% hydration. And it was mixed in the food processor for 45 seconds and then given two stretch and folds over an hour before being covered and left on the counter for an all day fermentation. The second batch was processed the same way but instead of yeast, I used 50g of discard sourdough. By the time I got home from work, I really didn't feel like baking but I didn't want to put the dough in the fridge so I put it outside where the temperature was in the 50's overnight. Brought it back into the house before 4:00 AM and left it on the counter to warm up a bit. Shaped four demi baguettes from the yeast batch and four slightly longer sourdough baguettes. I wanted to be able to start most of them in the CSO on the bread steam function. Ten minutes in CSO and then transferred to the stone in the main oven. All but one of the sourdough baguettes fit on the stone in the CSO. So that baguette was baked from start to finish in the conventional oven. I did spray and add steam to the bake but as you will see the crust on the baguettes started in the CSO have a much superior shine to their crust. I did have my doubts about leaving the batch for another 12 hours more or less at room temperature but both batches turned out well.

Pizza Night. Italian Sausage, Mushrooms and Olives. Sourdough Crust.

That looks so good. I think I will need to make that for Moe one morning soon. Moe's breakfast this morning.

@PatrickT That is a loaf to be proud of. Love deals from Thrift shops. Reminds me I have a Romertopf that I bought at a thrift shop and I can't remember but I am sure it was under $10.00. Used it a few times to bake bread. Started a batch of Baguette dough yesterday morning before work. Used just 1g of yeast in 500g of flour, 320g of water and 12g of salt. Used the food processor again. Processed 45 seconds in FP and did two stretch and folds before leaving for work. Left out on the counter for a longer slow fermentation. Dough was ready to go by the time I got home at 5:30. Baked three long baguettes. Sliced this morning for breakfast.

I would be so happy to have this for dinner. Looks delicious.

By request. Hot chicken sandwiches. Fries and peas. Lots of gravy.

Matt wanted to use one of the baguettes to make a sandwich today so I sliced one to see what the crumb was like. Sliced while still slightly warm.

@Dave R, I had actually forgot that I had Charles Van Over's The Best Bread Ever cookbook. I found it on my shelf and I don't think it has ever been cracked open. I decided last night to pull out my KA processor and make a small batch of his baguette dough. I did the initial mixing in the processor, but also did a couple of stretch and folds before bed. I also decreased the yeast from 2 grams to 1 gram because I was leaving it out on the counter overnight so I could bake in the morning. And I wanted a slow rise. Decided to make full size baguettes rather than the small baguettes I usually make. Three between 17" and 18" long. Unfortunately, the longer baguettes can't be started in the CSO. I had to sprayed them with water and toss ice cubes into the oven. Thanks for reminding me that dough can be made in the FP. I'm going to try a few more of his recipes including the rye.

@weinoo, I don't think there is much difference between the two. One is "French" and one "Italian". I've used what I call a Biga for almost 30 years based on a recipe I had for Italian bread. I watched an interesting video explaining the different preferments. I use a Canadian Flour - Rogers Silver Star. It is one of their commercial flours. It isn't sold in grocery stores, but our Costco carries it and until recently I was paying $13.00 for a 20 Kilo (44 lbs) bag. It has been the same price for years. Just recently the price increased to $19.00 for 20 Kilos, (44 lbs). Still a steal at that price. If I were to run out of this flour before getting to Costco, I would use their regular bread flour which is available in all the grocery stores. Both have a high protein of 13.4%.

@Dave R The biga/preferment I use is 100% hydration.

Thanks for the reminder that dough can be made in a food processor. It has been a while since I used the processor to make a batch of dough. But years ago, around 2006, before I became aware of exact hydrations and the stretch and fold method, I used the processor to make very wet doughs. Starting with a biga and letting the dough rest in between pulsing. It actually worked well. Once it was tipped out on to the board, it just needed a few stretch and folds to bring it together. I had the pictorial stored on Smugmug and did a blog post in 2012. https://thibeaultstable.com/2012/10/03/pictorial-making-bread-in-food-processor/

Grilled a Porterhouse steak and served sliced with a wine sauce. Sides were roasted potatoes, zucchini and sautéed cremini mushrooms. AND, as a side a new version of our favourite Gorgonzola Garlic bread. I still had one ball of dough left from the dough I made last Saturday night. Decided to make a bastardized version of a Gorgonzola Garlic bread that was served complimentary at Cafe Garangelo, an Italian restaurant in Buffalo, NY years ago. I recreated it for home because Moe loved it so much. When I posted it my blog many years ago, it became one my most popular posts. Tonight's version was pizza dough, brushed with garlic butter, and topped with both shredded mozzarella and gorgonzola cheese with a little basil and oregano and baked in the Ooni. Finished as it came out of the oven with a little grated parmesan. Matt sliced it in small slices and I forgot to take pictures before it was being devoured. But I did get a picture when there was still a few slices left. There is still some steak left, some of both the tenderloin and the strip so I plan to make Moe a steak sandwich tomorrow.

Once again I had neglected my starter. Decided to feed and revive it yesterday morning. Fed it again last night and used some of the discard to make a biga which went into a batch of dough this morning. Left it out on the counter all day and it was ready to shape when I got home from work. Preheated two Dutch ovens while the loaves proofed. Just out of the oven.

Mother's Day Pizza.

Made French Onion soup for dinner tonight. Got started a few days ago roasting the beef bones and making the stock. Finished making it today. I remember now why I don't make this soup often. PITA.

@Dave R, turned out great in the Pullman. I have one but it is narrower and I've only used it once. More like cocktail size loaves. Early morning bake. Biga started yesterday morning before leaving for work. Dough made last night. 65% hydration. Left out on the counter until 4:00 AM this morning and then shaped into six baguettes/batards of different sizes. Lots of shine even thought sliced while still warm.

Last night's bread was made from a biga that I started on Monday and the dough Tuesday morning. It was left it in the fridge until Thursday and then divided into a number of balls and back into the fridge. Moe and I had pizza on Friday night and Matt made himself a pizza. Last night I used one of the balls to make two "pita" baked in the Ooni and I had one slightly large ball that I shaped into a small boule and baked last night in the CSO. Sliced this morning. I love this dough. Even after being in the fridge since Tuesday, it still makes wonderful bread.

I still had a ball of dough left for pizza. But didn't really want another pizza last night. So, I decided to make chicken souvlaki and use the dough to make a couple of bastardized 'Pita". Matt had taken the dough out of the fridge for me, so when I got home from work the dough was ready to go. I just had to season the chicken. Cut the breasts into cubes and rubbed with minced garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, olive oil and the juice of a lemon. Set aside for 15 minutes while I made a Tzatziki. Divided the pizza dough into two and stretched out to form the pitas. Baked in the Ooni. Threaded the chicken on to skewers and cooked on the grill. Spread a little of Tzatziki on each pita, topped with a mixture of lettuce, arugula, tomatoes and red onion and feta cheese, topped with the cubes of chicken and finished with more Tzatziki.

Friday Night Pizza.

Thanks @Shelby Perfectly cooked steak. I would like some of your cheesy potatoes. One of the things I miss about living in Toronto is the number of wonderful Greek Restaurants. @RWood, nice looking pizza. Some of my favourite toppings. @Captain, beautiful crust on your pizza. I asked Moe what he wanted for dinner tonight and he chose grilled prawns with Pasta Aglio E Olio. I pulled the Spot Prawns from Walcan Seafood out of the freezer before leaving for work. Easy work night dinner. While the water boiled for the pasta, I shelled the prawns and marinated them with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, hot red pepper flakes and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Grilled the prawns on a cast iron grill pan.

I decided to smoke a whole chicken yesterday, early evening. Just a small bird. I don't have a "smoker" but I have a pellet tube and a gas grill. Rather than use pellets in the tube I filled it with wood chips. Mesquite. Moe loved the flavour. He ate the two wings before bed last night and had smoked chicken breast on slices of buttered baguette for breakfast this morning.

Not sure if this was a late lunch or an early dinner. It was late enough that I'm not cooking again tonight. Steak and Frites with a wine sauce and sauteed mushrooms.

Baked baguettes last night. Toasted for breakfast. In the CSO.