St.Joseph Bread
St.Joseph Bread (Pane di San Giuseppe) is prepared in many different ways in Sicily on the occasion of March 19th.
In some areas of Sicily, for example, this particular bread is made by giving symbolic shapes, such as the cane or the face of St. Joseph.
In Palermo, these rolls are prepared with fennel seeds which are traditionally blessed and eaten on St. Joseph's Day with the family.
Fennel seeds are incredibly delicious, super rich in flavour and delightful smell.
These rolls have a texture similar to a good homestyle white bread with a slightly sweet taste.
The outside gets crispy and the inside stays soft and chewy!
These rolls or buns are eaten in Italy, more specifically in Palermo, Sicily on March 19th for the feast of St.Joseph and Father’s Day is also celebrated on this day!
You’d be amazed to see wonderful decorations of tasty dishes on Italian tables for their St. Joseph’s dinner!
The traditional shapes of the loaves are crowns, crosses, crabs, donkeys, reeds, wheat, images of St. Joseph and braids representing Mary.
Incredible, right?
After all, we (Italians) have been sculptors since the beginning of time!
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[instagram-feed feed=1] [kofi]On the occasion of March 19, many things are prepared in Sicily, including the bread of San Giuseppe from Palermo.
In fact, we will see the Palermitan version of a votive bread that is actually prepared throughout the island, but which is made differently depending on the area.
In some areas of Sicily, for example, this particular bread is made by giving symbolic shapes, such as the stick or the face of St. Joseph.
In Palermo, on the other hand, sandwiches are prepared with fennel seeds which are traditionally blessed and eaten on St. Joseph's Day with the family.
So let's find out together how to make it better.20
- 250 g Semolina flour
- 250 g high gluten flour (Manitoba)
- 7 g dry yeast
- 250 mg water (room temperature)
- 50 g extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp barley malt syrup
- 10 g salt
- 5 g fennel seeds
The first thing to do to prepare St.Joseph bread is to pour the re-milled durum wheat semolina into a stand mixer bowl, together with a high gluten flour.
Then pour in the dehydrated brewer's yeast and start mixing these first ingredients.It's time to add the barley malt which will help us give a more accentuated color to our crust.
Also pour the water, which must be at room temperature so as to favor the leavening of the dough. Then mix the ingredients. for abouyt 6-8 minutes.
As soon as the compound starts to take consistency you add the extra virgin olive oil and continue to knead until the dough has incorporated this new ingredient.
You can add the salt at this point. Continue to knead for 8 minutes.The last ingredient to add is the fennel seeds. Continue to knead inside the bowl until these last ingredients have been completely absorbed by the dough.
The last ingredient to add is the fennel seeds. Continue to knead inside the bowl until these last ingredients have been completely absorbed by the dough.
Once the leavening is over, move the dough onto the work surface and divide it into pieces of about 70 g each.
Each piece thus obtained will be worked by bringing the outer edges towards the center and then quickly pinch so as to form a ball.
Arrange all the balls on a non-stick pan or covered with transparent film and make a cross cut on each roll.
Your St. Joseph's bread will be left to rise for another hour in the oven off until they have doubled in volume. At that point, all you have to do is bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes or until they are golden on the surface. Take them out of the oven, let them cool down and consume them with your family, if you want after having them blessed as tradition dictates.
Enjoy!
Always place a saucepan on the bottom of the oven during preheating or use the steam function of your oven. In this way you will have a crispier outer crust.
St. Joseph's bread can be kept for 2 days closed in food bags. You can also freeze it once cold.
