The cornmeal mini loaves are the latest creation, in terms of time, that I baked for my family. The presence of cornmeal in the dough gives this type of bread more flavor and aroma. We can prepare them with either natural yeast or baker’s yeast; they are easy and perfect to be enjoyed with both savory and sweet dishes. Their practical shape lends itself to making tasty and rich sandwiches for Saturday night dinner or leisure time. By cutting our mini loaves into diagonal slices, we can also create delicious tartines or bruschetta for appetizers.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 8 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 5 oz Sourdough starter
- 1 cup Fine cornmeal
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Water
- 2 tsp Fine salt
- 1 1/3 Cups of Manitoba flour
- 1 tsp Fresh baker's yeast
- 1 tbsp Water
- 3/4 cup Manitoba flour
- 1/4 cup Water
Preparation
We can make the cornmeal mini loaves with either sourdough or baker’s yeast. Both procedures are very simple to follow. Let’s start with the sourdough.
Refresh it according to our habits, take the amount we need, and let it double in volume. Then knead it roughly with the Manitoba flour and half of the water provided. Let it rest well covered for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add the all-purpose flour, the fine (or coarse) cornmeal, the remaining water, and salt. Knead until all the ingredients are perfectly combined into a compact but not hard dough. Transfer it to a lightly floured work table and work it for another minute, rolling it on itself several times; this will give the loaves a better structure and better crumb. Cover and let it rise until doubled.
When the dough has doubled, gently turn it over onto a cutting board or work table with very little flour. Cut 6 pieces of equal weight, and stretch them as if they were baguettes but much shorter (about 8 inches).
By cutting the dough into three pieces instead of six, you can get baguettes about 16 inches long.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lay the mini loaves on it, spacing them a couple of fingers apart.
Cover them and let them complete the final rise. Put the tray in the cold oven, at mid-height; then turn it on and set it to 350°F. The mini loaves should bake for about 30 minutes, although baking times may vary depending on the type of oven, whether it’s gas or electric, static or fan-assisted, etc. The cornmeal mini loaves are ready when they appear puffed up and evenly golden.
For those who want to use baker’s yeast, proceed as follows: dissolve the 5 grams of fresh baker’s yeast in one tablespoon of water, add 3/4 cup of Manitoba flour and another 1/4 cup of water. Mix the ingredients and when they are perfectly combined, cover with clear plastic wrap and let rise. The biga or pre-ferment will help make the mini loaves as soft and tasty as those made with sourdough.
When the dough has doubled in volume, transfer it to a large bowl or a stand mixer and follow the same measurements and procedures described for the sourdough, adding Manitoba flour, half of the water, and mixing roughly. Let it rest well covered for 30 minutes, then add the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, the remaining water, salt, and so on. In this case, the rising times will obviously be much shorter than with sourdough. The same advice given above also applies for baking.
