The Food: Bread

Bread, the most simple but most important part of any food for the Italians.  Bread for dipping in flavored or plain extra virgin olive oil, bead for stuffing, bread for bread crumbs, bread for garlic bread, bread is the center of every meal.  My personal favorite, is actually called the French Loaf from Calandra's in Newark, its a long baguette with sesame seeds.  My other favorite is the Sicilian panelle, which is round, very hard and crusty on the outside, but firm but soft enough in the center.  It has a real brick oven taste to it.  This is real bread, with substance, this is what bread should be.   Supermarket "Italian Bread" that is pale, and soft like feathers, should be avoided.  Of course, its all a personal preference, but a section on more "real" Italian bread, shapes, sizes and names are coming soon.

Types of Italian Bread

Baugette
Brick Oven -
French -
Pizza -
Panelle -
Ciabata - Tuscan bread, made without salt since they often serve it with salty cured meats like prosciutto and Italian salami

Vitamia Foods: Authentic Old World Semolina Bread www.pastaboy.com
La Bella Italia: Authentic Sicilian Brick Oven Panelle www.labellaitalia.com

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