Pane ticinese
Encyclopedia
Pane ticinese is a white bread
traditionally made in the Swiss canton of Ticino
, but also available in the rest of Switzerland
, where it is known as "Bread of Ticino" . In Ticino, it is referred to by a number of names specific to the region, including pane riga, reale or lireta.
The bread is distinguishable by its shape—it is composed of several small loaves or rolls made to be broken off by hand—and by the addition of oil to the dough, which makes the bread particularly soft.
Up until the early 20th century, pane ticinese and other white breads were luxury foods that most Ticinesi could not afford; bread made from rye
or chestnut
flour was the usual fare in the Ticino mountain villages.
The 1930s book Atlas of Swiss Folklore notes that the white bread made in the Ticino is distinguished from other breads by its Reihenform, or sequential form: it is composed of a number of small loaves attached to each other that are intended to be broken off by hand. One of its names in a local dialect, riia pan ("bread in a line") reflects this shape. This shape of bread was originally brought to Ticino from Italy
, where it has been known for a long time. A 1584 painting by the Italian artist Annibale Carracci
depicts a man eating at a table and, to his right, a bread very similar to pane ticinese.
According to the Atlas of Swiss Folklore, the Pane ticinese of that time weighed 1 kilogram (2 lb) and was composed of eight loaves; it was sold whole or in parts (one half, a quarter, one eighth or one sixteenth), which were easily produced by breaking individual loaves off the bread.
The bread was made popular in the rest of Switzerland in the 1950s by the Swiss Bakers' Association, whose professional school at Richemont in Lucerne developed a range of specialty breads based on the baking traditions of each canton.
(a mixture of flour, yeast and water), salt, and (in the contemporary recipe only) some oil
. After being kneaded, the dough is divided into round pieces of about 2 kg, which are left to rise for a few minutes before being re-kneaded, flattened and formed into small individual loaves, or michette (plural of michetta). Each michetta is shaped by hand into an oval shape of about 10 cm in length, and attached to other michette to form a complete loaf.
After being brushed with egg, the loaves are again allowed to rise until their volume has doubled, then baked for about 20 to 25 minutes at a temperature of 190 °C (374 °F), until the crust is a golden brown.
.
White bread
White bread is made from wheat flour from which the bran and the germ have been removed through a process known as milling. Milling gives white flour a longer shelf life by removing the bran which contains oil, allowing products made with it, like white bread, the ability to survive storage and...
traditionally made in the Swiss canton of Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, but also available in the rest of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where it is known as "Bread of Ticino" . In Ticino, it is referred to by a number of names specific to the region, including pane riga, reale or lireta.
The bread is distinguishable by its shape—it is composed of several small loaves or rolls made to be broken off by hand—and by the addition of oil to the dough, which makes the bread particularly soft.
History
Rye
Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
or chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
flour was the usual fare in the Ticino mountain villages.
The 1930s book Atlas of Swiss Folklore notes that the white bread made in the Ticino is distinguished from other breads by its Reihenform, or sequential form: it is composed of a number of small loaves attached to each other that are intended to be broken off by hand. One of its names in a local dialect, riia pan ("bread in a line") reflects this shape. This shape of bread was originally brought to Ticino from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where it has been known for a long time. A 1584 painting by the Italian artist Annibale Carracci
Annibale Carracci
Annibale Carracci was an Italian Baroque painter.-Early career:Annibale Carracci was born in Bologna, and in all likelihood first apprenticed within his family...
depicts a man eating at a table and, to his right, a bread very similar to pane ticinese.
According to the Atlas of Swiss Folklore, the Pane ticinese of that time weighed 1 kilogram (2 lb) and was composed of eight loaves; it was sold whole or in parts (one half, a quarter, one eighth or one sixteenth), which were easily produced by breaking individual loaves off the bread.
The bread was made popular in the rest of Switzerland in the 1950s by the Swiss Bakers' Association, whose professional school at Richemont in Lucerne developed a range of specialty breads based on the baking traditions of each canton.
Preparation
Pane ticinese is made of a dough of water, white flour, bigaBiga (bread baking)
Biga is a type of pre-ferment used in Italian baking. Many popular Italian breads, including ciabatta, are made using a biga. Using a biga adds complexity to the bread's flavour and is often used in breads which need a light, open texture with holes...
(a mixture of flour, yeast and water), salt, and (in the contemporary recipe only) some oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
. After being kneaded, the dough is divided into round pieces of about 2 kg, which are left to rise for a few minutes before being re-kneaded, flattened and formed into small individual loaves, or michette (plural of michetta). Each michetta is shaped by hand into an oval shape of about 10 cm in length, and attached to other michette to form a complete loaf.
After being brushed with egg, the loaves are again allowed to rise until their volume has doubled, then baked for about 20 to 25 minutes at a temperature of 190 °C (374 °F), until the crust is a golden brown.
Use
Pane ticinese is enjoyed as a bread for everyday use. Available in most Swiss bakeries and supermarkets, it is typically sold as a composite loaf of four to six pieces weighing 250 grams, with an overall length of 20 to 25 centimeters. When stale, it is used in Ticino to make torta leventinese, a form of bread puddingBread pudding
Bread pudding is a bread-based dessert popular in many countries' cuisine, including that of Great Britain, France, Belgium, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Malta, Argentina, Louisiana Creole, and the southern United States...
.
Further reading
- Gemnetti, Giacomo, Villaggi di Leventina, Società ticinese di scienze naturali, Bellinzona, 1939.
- Tomarkin, Percin, Intorno al problema del pane, Arti grafiche Grassi e Co., Bellinzona, 1935.
- Solci, Guglielmo, Storia sociale dell'alimentazione in Ticino, Masco Consult, Lugano, 1995.
- Bolla, Ines, Donne ticinesi: rievocazioni, La Scuola, Bellinzona, 1928.
- Beretta, Gaetano, Pane e panificazione nella storia: schizzo storico, Tip. Leins e Vescovi, Bellinzona, 1951.
- Bolla, Guido, Aspetti di vita montana, Tipografia ed., Lugano, 1935.
- Lucchini, Mario, Alimentazione nella Leventina dell'Ottocento, 1992, n° 82.
- La panetteria svizzera, Lucerna, Scuola professionale Richemont, 1983.