Let's prepare the natural yeast

Let’s take a look at how to make natural yeast, and then some friselle, using the natural yeast .

Measure 200 grams of flour into a bowl, add some non-gassy mineral water, 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of organic natural yoghurt or 1 cup of organic wine that has not undergone any treatment. We recommend that all the ingredients be organically-produced. Mix all the ingredients together into a dough. Place the dough in a container and cover it with a damp cloth. Note that when using natural yeast special care must be taken with cleanliness: the cloth and container (a plate will do) must be perfectly clean.

Leave the dough in a warm (24°-25°) and preferably dark place for 2 days. After this time the top of the dough needs to be peeled because it will have become a bit hard. Throw away the skin and add 200 grams of flour and water to the remaining core of dough. Let it rest in a new container covered with a new clean cloth for a further 48 hours. Now we need to test it to see if the yeast is ready. Once again peel the yeast mother , and hold the core of dough under running water for a minute, then wring it out. Now prepare a dough with a yeast mother –flour ratio of 1:1.5. Add water and knead until the dough is soft but not sticky. Place the dough in a basket and cover with a clean cloth.

Allow the dough to leaven for 12 hours at ambient temperature. Now add flour in a 1:1 ratio. Allow the dough to leaven covered with a clean cloth for 4 hours. It may be a necessary to cover the dough with blankets to increase the temperature. Now we come to the final kneading. Add more flour in a 1:1 ratio, 20 grams salt for each kg flour, and water. Let rest for 1 hour in a warm place. Shape the friselle from 200 gram pieces of dough, roll out the dough and form large ‘taralli’ (ring shapes). Let the friselle leaven for 4 hours at 30 degrees minimum. Bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.

When the friselle have cooled slightly (the cooler they are the harder they are to cut) cut them in half and bake them for a further 12 minutes at 200 degrees.

If you succeed, perhaps not the first time, and maybe not even at the second attempt, you’ll feel as if you’ve passed an Astrophysics exam! If you don’t succeed, go to a health food store and buy yourself some Sottolestelle friselle. You have our total guarantee that the product is: hand made one by one, naturally leavened, and made from natural ingredients, flour, natural yeast, unrefined sea salt, water .