Natural leavening and processing of bread dough

After being screened, the flours “rest” for at least a day in special baskets, corbules, covered with white sheets.

In the evening we proceed with the preparation of natural yeast/sourdough (madrighas, fragmentu). A touch of sour-dried pasta was taken, preserved from the previous cotta (baking cycle) in a bowl placed in a cool and dry place in the house. Natural yeast costs a few ingredients: flour, water and the leavening agent and from microorganisms. The yeast taken was “refreshed” and the next morning, already dissolved, it was mixed with the bread flours, mixed with lukewarm water and a pinch of salt inside an earthenware basin (tianu, scivedha, etc.), or, as in Barbagia, inside a wooden cupboard.

The dough was first worked with the pressure of clenched fists and knuckles (cumossai), then, with the addition of water, it was manipulated with closed fists and constantly stirred (spongiai). These operations were necessary and sufficient for making soft flour breads or whole wheat flours: e.g. civraxu, modditzosu, etc.

For breads with hard dough or thin sheets, further lengthy processing was necessary, with the strong pressure of the palm of the hand (cariare, chuexi, etc.).

Long and tiring, the processing of pasta in areas with a peasant economy also involved the help of male arms. The only exception in a work cycle strongly characterized, in terms of gender, “feminine”.

Only in the period between the two wars, was the use of the 'e chuexi machine' introduced, the preserve of wealthy families only.

Finally smooth and elastic, the dough could be considered permanently processed and could be put to rise (axedai) inside a terracotta bowl or in a cork container (malune), well covered with special linen or cotton sheets, or even with a wool blanket.

After a few hours, after the leavening had taken place, the dough was divided into pieces of equal size, which were placed in the folds of a white tablecloth, to rest and rise again.

Subsequently, the bread was put into shape, in simpler ways, if of ordinary use. With the aid of small knives, scissors, pastry wheels, etc. if they are ceremonial breads.

Usually during “sa cotta 'e su pani” (baking), small toy breads were made for the children in the house or for those in the neighborhood.

The same “cotta” also included breads seasoned with vegetables from the garden (tomato, onion, etc.), with seasonal products such as ricotta, or with household reserves such as pork fat chips (bread (s) with gerda and the like).

Update

22/6/2024 - 15:44