Pane All’Olio

Maybe Robert Plant will want to come sing with me, I could be his next Alison Krause. I just can’t quite land after the high of singing all last weekend with the band. Our final gig was in the Rochester Art Center and a professional videographer took really sweet pics/film of us playing against the night sky with the city of Rochester all lit up in the background. Choice. 

I think he and I would make a fantastic duo. I made olive oil bread in his insignia rather than in the ring wreath as described by the recipe. Not intentionally I’ll admit, but it occurred to me after the fact that the design I had made was very Robert Plant. Or Stone Henge. I once met a guy at a wedding in San Diego who told me a long story about a ficus he had at home named Robert. Robert the Plant. I have no idea who that guy was, but I recall his beloved house plant.

Pane all’Olio

Adapted from The Italian Baker

1 ½ cups sourdough starter

1 cup 3 tbsp water

4 tbsp olive oil

2-3 tsp lard (oops, I did tablespoons)

3 ¾ cups white flour

2 tsp salt

Stir all the ingredients together, salt last of course. Knead and let rise in an oiled bowl for 2 hours.

Remove and divide the dough into 12 or so pieces and shape into small balls. Arrange an inch or so apart in a free-form circle on parchment-lined sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise again for another few hours. 

Heat the oven to 400, brush the tops of the rolls with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Bake 35 minutes if it’s a wreath, 20 minutes if they are individual rolls. Cool on racks.

These rolls are a bit bland, but are great when toasted and covered in peanut butter. Adams peanut butter would be choice.