Baked Crescentine (also known as Tigelle) are a variation of the classic crescentine, a type of bread typical of the Modena area. I know there will be a lot of comments saying that Crescentine are not baked, but made in the appropriate tigelle, which are terracotta or refractory stone discs, currently replaced by refractory material plates or aluminum molds called Tigelliere. But I wanted to experiment with this cooking method for those who do not have this tool and I assure you they are really amazing.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 30 crescentine
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs all-purpose flour
- 2.8 oz lard
- 1.25 cups milk
- 0.88 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 1.25 cups water
- 4 pinches fine salt
Preparation
Place the flour in a mound on a pastry board, add the lard, milk, water, previously activated yeast (to activate it, fill half a glass with warm milk, add the yeast block, let it dissolve, then add a teaspoon of sugar and a tablespoon of flour taken from the total, mix. After about 5 minutes the glass will be full of foam, so the yeast will be activated) and knead well.
At this point add the fine salt and continue kneading until you get a smooth and soft dough.
Place the dough in a floured bowl, cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out, and let it rise for at least two hours, it should at least double. If necessary, cover everything with a blanket to keep it warmer.
At this point, turn the dough onto a work surface, roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about half an inch. I recommend dividing it into two parts.
With a pastry cutter about 3.5 inches in diameter, cut out discs, you will get about thirty.
Place the discs on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Let them rise for another fifteen minutes or so.
Bake at 356°F for about 20 minutes, placing the baking sheet on the third shelf of the oven from the bottom. To be safe, do the toothpick test; if the center is dry, the tigelle are cooked.
Serve hot with cunza (see notes), or with cold cuts and cheeses.
Tips/Advice
If you have a tigelliera, proceed by heating it for about 5 minutes on both sides. Once hot, place the discs inside, close the lid and cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes per side. The Crescentine will be cooked if they are golden.
They used to be served with Cunza, a kind of pesto made with minced pork lard, mixed with garlic and rosemary.
We usually use Crescentine as an accompanying bread when we prepare Raclette, for the recipe click here.
If you liked the Baked Crescentine (or tigelle), try this exquisite bread:
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