Pane con Lievito Madre Disidratato (Tipo Altamura)

Method

1. Prepare the lievitino (starter): In a bowl, mix 50 g of remilled durum wheat semolina, 70 g of dehydrated sourdough starter, and 80 ml of water until homogeneous. Transfer to a work surface and form into a ball. Place in a bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rest for at least 4 hours or until doubled in volume with bubbles.
2. In the bowl of a planetary mixer (or by hand), add the 200 g of lievitino (or 200 g of homemade sourdough starter that has been refreshed three times with semolina every 4 hours at 60% hydration). Add 200 ml of water (from the total 600 ml) and begin kneading. After a couple of minutes, add 20 g of salt. Then gradually add the remaining 1 kg of semolina and the remaining 400 ml of water, mixing continuously. Knead for a total of 20 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Form the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place (e.g., turned-off oven) for 90 minutes, or until doubled in volume.
4. Gently detach the dough from the bowl using a spatula, being careful not to deflate it. Transfer the dough onto a floured piece of parchment paper. Cover and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
5. Dust the top with a little remilled semolina. Using a sharp blade, make cuts on the surface. Then shape the bread by folding the edges inward with a spatula (this helps the bread rise upward rather than outward).
6. Cover the bread and let it rest for 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250 °C (static, not fan-assisted). Once the bread has rested, place it in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 250 °C. Then open the oven door slightly for a few seconds to release steam, close it, and lower the temperature to 210 °C. Continue baking for 45–50 minutes. If the bread starts to brown too much, cover it with aluminum foil.
8. Once baked, turn off the oven. Remove the bread from the pan and place it on a wire rack. Return the rack to the oven, leaving the door slightly ajar, and let the bread rest inside for about 20 minutes.
9. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on the wire rack before slicing.