Pumpkin Bread with seeds - BBD # 58

 la ricetta in italiano qui

I am hosting this month Bread Baking Day # 58 and theme of the event is Bread with Seeds and/or Flakes.

I have received than 20 recipes, beautiful healthy breads calling from the monitor to be bitten!

I will pass by and comment each in the next days and collect all in a greedy recap to share with everybody, will be on-line on May, 5th.

I have baked one of my favorite bread I learned so long ago in one of the numerous baking classes Simili Sisters (an icon in baking!) used to held at Le Tamerici in Mantova.

 

One of my favorite bread because I adore pumpkin.
A beautiful colored bread that will brighten up your table and your mood even in a grey day.
Delicious with cheese, perfect for picnics as it remains soft for long.

Pretty easy to do, but a little laborious because the dough has to be worked and beaten for a long time if you knead by hand. Using a stand mixer it will be easier and less hard.

 

Sponge:

150 g strong flour
75 g water
25 g fresh yeast
1 tsp sugar or barley malt

Mix everything together and leave to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Dough:

350 g strong flour.
300 g baked or steamed pumpkin pulp, then smashed with a fork
25 g extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
50/80 g toasted pumpkin seeds

Knead all these ingredients together (except roasted seeds). Add  little water at room temperature only if necessary, it depends on pumpkin texture.
Add the sponge, little by little, still kneading and continue to work until the dough is homogeneous and you won't see any white stripes.
Transfer on a working surface and divide the dough in two. Flatten each piece, pour seeds on each disc, overlap the two discs and knead until well amalgamated.
Shape into a ball, place into an oiled bowl and let raise (covered) until doubled, about 2 hours.
Turn on the table, divide the dough in half and form two loaves: they  will raise covered for about 45/50 minutes.

 

Spread a thin layer of flour on the loaves and using a razor blade (I use a bistoury, a gift from a dear doctor friend :-) make diagonally cross incisions as shown in the picture. Do not use a knife as it could be too strong and dramatically deflate the risen loaves.
Bake at 200° for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 170/180° for 20 minutes, then place the loaves on the rack and bake 10/15 minutes more.
If the loaves become quickly too colored cover with tin foil.
Allow to cool on a rack before slicing.
For a richer bread you can also add 300 g of baked pumpkin in cubes to the dough before proofing.


A few tips if you knead by hand:
Keep a little water at room temperature aside as you might need if the dough is too dry, it depends on the pumpkin texture. If necessary, just dip your hands in the water occasionally while kneading.
Work and beat until the dough is soft but not sticky, if necessary slightly flour the working surface but remove flour in excess and then knead, repeat as needed.
While kneading turn circle on the work surface (such as drawing a clock hours) to avoid to remain in the centre (always wet).
To amalgamate sponge with the yellow dough do as follows: flatten and roll out sponge in a thin disk, put the dough in the middle and wrap it with the sponge. Knead and beat until the two doudghs are well mixed together and you won't see any white stripes, about 10/12 minutes.
Then combine with seeds as the recipe above.
You can see step-by-step pictures here.

 

 This recipe also goes to Susan's weekly YeastSpotting