However, its history is very ancient and dates back to primitive men who used cereal seeds by grinding them between two stones and mixing them with water to obtain a very nutritious meal. The Egyptians began to cook bread loaves firsts in ovens made of stone and then in clay pots; after removing the ash, the loaves were put inside, and the pot was closed with a large stone, favouring a slow and uniform cooking of the bread.
The Greeks modified the bread dough by adding milk and flavouring it with herbs, wine or honey and starting to knead and bake bread at night so that in the morning people would find it fresh and crunchy.
The bread-making technique was then introduced in Italy by the Romans, and the term “farina” (flour in English) was coined, coming from the abundant spelt (“far” in Latin), which was used like other cereals for making bread. The Romans elaborated the basic bread recipe further, increasing the number of ingredients that modified flavour and appearance, such as olives or apples. They also invented the water mill, although this invention was used on an industrial level only later in France.
In the 19th century, chemical fertilizers were introduced and the production of cereals increased exponentially; industrial production of bread started, so bread became an irreplaceable food. In Italy, each region holds various breads for ingredients, processes, shapes and traditions.
Starting from Northern Italy, Trentino Alto Adige is one of the regions famous for its bread. Anyone lucky enough to visit it keeps a perfect memory of its typical bread with a unique fragrance. In this region, the variety of cereal crops turns into a great variety of baked products; in fact, there are more than sixty types of different breads! My favourites are “Pane Nero” and “Pan de molche”. Pane Nero (black rye bread) is a very strong-tasting bread with a thin crust and compact crumb. It is possible to find it in different shapes and sizes. “Pan de molche” is typical of the upper Garda Lake and prepared precisely with "molche", the solid residue of olive oil consisting of the skins and pulp of the olives.
In Emilia Romagna, the most famous bread is undoubtedly “Piadina”, made with wheat flour, lard or olive oil, baking soda or yeast, salt and water, which was traditionally baked on an earthenware dish called “teglia”. The earliest evidence of the Piadina in the land of Romagna dates back to 1200 BC. Most likely, the Etruscans taught the local Italian populations how to cook cereals (“farinata di cereali” was a typical Etruscan dish), also influencing the early gastronomy of Rome. “Piada” was a popular bread in Roman times and in the Middle Ages. Initially, this was a noble food consumed mainly among the ranks of high society. But given its simple and easy-to-find ingredients, it soon began to spread among ordinary people.
Depending on which area you are in, you will be served a thicker piadina (northern Romagna) or thinner piadina (Rimini). The ingredients offered for the filling may be slightly different. The most famous and favorite, is the one stuffed with “Prosciutto, Squacquerone e Rucola” (Parma raw ham, Squacquerone cheese and rocket).
On our journey at the discovery of Italian bread, Tuscany is an unmissable stop. This region is famous for producing a distinctive bread, not so much in shape as in taste. Tuscan bread is famous for being made without salt, in fact it was called "sciocco," apparently from the expression "with little salt in the pumpkin”.
According to tradition, it all stemmed from a dispute between the Pisans and the Florentines in the 12th century. It seems that, at that very time, salt price had skyrocketed due to the Pisans who, close to the landing port where the product arrived, raised the price for the rival city; but the Florentines responded by starting to produce bread without salt, which from that moment on became a symbol. Other legends, however, link the custom of baking without salt to the high cost of this product and, therefore, claiming that it was a way of making a virtue out of necessity.
History and legends aside, Tuscan bread, which is protected by the Consortium for the Protection of Tuscan Bread, features particular characteristics. First of all, there are only three ingredients: Tuscan type "0" soft wheat flour, natural yeast and water. In addition, the specifications emphasize that no additives or preservatives of any kind can be added to the dough and in the leavening stage.
This type of bread, more than others, is excellent combined with strong and robust flavors, and for this reason it has found a place in so many typical preparations in Tuscany.
Moving to Southern Italy, I highly recommend the bread of Matera and Altamura.
The bread of Matera, from the famous town in the Basilicata region, is obtained through an ancient process that involves the exclusive use of durum wheat flour. It is a sourdough bread: after being kneaded and left to rest for 25-35 minutes (then there is another fermentation for 30 minutes), it is baked in the oven. Depending on the size of the stove, cooking time can be from one hour and a half up to 2 hours. It has a crunchy crust that hides a soft interior; the yellow crumb is renowned for its porosity and characteristic flavor. This bread has been recognized by the European Union with the Protected Geographical Indication Mark (IGP).
“Pane di Altamura” is, conversely, from Altamura in Puglia and it is characterized by a different preparation: the basic ingredient is re-milled durum wheat flour from Bari's Alta Murgia region, mixed with natural sourdough yeast, warm water and sea salt. The dough is left to rise for 3-4 hours, covered with a cotton cloth and then shaped into different sizes. After a further hour of rising, a circle is engraved around the shape, then it is cooked about an hour and a half in a wood oven at 200-300° C. Pane di Altamura is characterized by the typical shape of a wide-brimmed hat and a golden crust. In 2003 Altamura’s bread was recognized by the European Union with the Protected Designation of Origin Mark (DOP).
As compared to some decades ago, today in Italy the consumption of bread is much lower as most diets ban it, associating it with a possible increase in weight. I have to admit, when I wanted to lose weight, I tried first to reduce or not to eat bread at all! Science, on the contrary, confirms that banning bread, and therefore carbohydrates, is not only wrong but can even be harmful, because these nutrients, consumed in the right quantity, are essential for maintaining good health and physical shape. Carbohydrates together with other nutrients, proteins and lipids, provide us with the energy necessary to make our body function properly.
Personally, I love bread and I find it fundamental and indispensable, especially for one thing: “la scarpetta” (which literally means “little shoe”)! This is the common Italian habit of perfectly cleaning the dish with pieces of bread. All main Italian recipes are often accompanied by tasty and savory sauces: if all the “Penne” in a dish of pasta are gone, it would be a huge waste to leave the plate full of sauce and not do “scarpetta”. Sometimes I feel embarrassed to do this in public or at the restaurants but, for me, it is also synonymous with appreciation and, in fact, it has been recognized by etiquette: you should use a fork, though!
So, in the end, why do we Italians eat so much bread? Because it is in our tradition, since ancient times. It is a part of our unique way to be together at the table where everything is shared, and bread is the first food we share. So, next time you sit at an Italian Restaurant, anywhere in the world, ask for “Pane Italiano”: in that small chunk of bread you’ll find all the flavours of Italy.
Ciao da Francesca