How to prepare a fragrant and tasty gluten-free bread at home? Maybe starting from that sourdough much loved by those who dedicate themselves to home baking, but prepared in a safe and gluten free way? Sara Papa, gastronomic teacher and writer, great bread expert, reveals the secrets for a perfect result.

For a perfect result

Starting from the choice of flour, which must be of quality. «What I used is a mix of corn starch, buckwheat flour, rice flour and xilium fiber, to which salt and sugar are added as preservatives. A really tasty dark bread is obtained. As for "normal" bread, stone-ground flours are preferable . The quality of the ingredients used is first of all reflected on the sourdough: the quality of the flour which primarily affects the sourdough.

«With this type of flour a faster mother yeast is obtained than a yeast made with glutinated flour. We will also have the result of one non-acid leavening and a bread with a well-developed honeycomb. The raw materials used and the ambient temperature are of fundamental importance in this case. The principle also applies to water: it must not be from the tap, since it is often made drinkable through the addition of antibacterial substances, but must be as natural as possible. This mother yeast, given the excellent result obtained in the first fermentation phase, can be refreshed, but does not necessarily need refreshments: it can be produced and used when needed. To decrease the rising times for the doughs, we can increase the quantity of mother yeast, using all the prepared one. To give a greater boost, you can combine 5 grams of brewer's yeast .

Having selected the ingredients and prepared the yeast, you can move on to knead the bread: those who do not have the time or desire to start with the mother yeast can use a 25 gram pack of compressed yeast (beer yeast). In any case, the recipe must be scrupulously followed, especially as regards temperatures and humidity. The dough should be worked preferably by hand: it is very easy and would stick everywhere with the mixer. To give crunchiness, in the recipe I suggest the use of some seeds, but they can be replaced with the favorite ones, or add cocoa grue or choose dried fruit ". The result is assured: a gluten-free bread good for the whole family.

The recipe for gluten-free bread

For gluten-free mother yeast

Ingredients

250 g of natural low mineral water
150 g of gluten-free bread flour
5 g of honey

Method

Work all the ingredients until a lump-free mixture is obtained, put it in a tall, narrow container, covered with a damp cloth and wait for the fermentation to take place. The ideal room temperature is 23-24 ° C. After about 24 hours the yeast is ready. When it is ready it must double its volume: the moment it has doubled, it must be used immediately.

For gluten-free bread

Ingredients

600 g of gluten-free flour for bread and pizza
550 g of water at 27 ° C-30 ° C
300 g of gluten-free mother yeast
50 g of sesame seeds
50 g of sunflower seeds
50 g of flax seeds
5 g of brewer's yeast

Method

Toast the seeds in the oven, dip them still hot in 120 g of cold water and let them cool, then mix them with the flour. Mix the flour with the yeast and the water; salt should not be added as it is already present inside the flour. It is important to add the water slowly, so that no lumps form in the dough. Once the dough is finished, let it rest for at least 15 minutes so that the starches hydrate and the dough takes on consistency.

Form the bread with wet hands, put it in a bread mold lined with parchment paper (or buttered and floured) and let it rise until doubled in volume at a temperature of 28 ° C: you can put it in the oven with only the light on to get some heat.

Bake the bread for about 50 minutes in a preheated oven at 190 ° C. After baking, turn the bread out of the box and put it back in the oven directly on the grill for 3-4 minutes.

If you want to make a loaf, put the dough to rise in a bowl lined with a floured cotton or linen cloth; let rise at a temperature of about 28 ° C (the oven with the light on is always suitable; many ovens have 2 lights and the temperature goes above 30 degrees: in this case you need to keep the door slightly open). When the loaf has doubled its volume, turn it over on the baking tray or, better yet, on a refractory stone preheated to the maximum temperature. Cook it at maximum temperature for 10 minutes, then lower it to 180 ° C for 30-35 minutes.