This Italian Einkorn Rye Bread, also known as L’Otto di Merano, is traditionally shaped into two balls which are connected at the center to look like a figure eight.
L’Otto di Merano, which means Eight from Merano, is an Italian Bread made with a bit of rye and barley malt. As you’ll notice, my version is not shaped like a figure eight.
I shaped it into two balls, but instead of baking it free-form on a baking sheet or stone, I placed the two balls side-by-side in a loaf pan. I also made it with Einkorn instead of all-purpose flour.
I used Einkorn instead of regular all-purpose flour because the evening before I made this bread, I did a demonstration at a local farmer’s market on grains and milling, and I discussed the difference between modern wheat and ancient grains. After extolling the virtues of Einkorn the night before, I just couldn’t bring myself to use regular all-purpose flour. However, I did include some organic rye flour and a little barley malt extract so my loaf would have at least some resemblance to the original bread.
The reason I made a sandwich loaf rather than a figure-eight hearth bread was simply because I was on a roll. For the demo the night before, I made several types of sandwich loaves using different types of grains. I used these loaves as samples so that visitors could taste the difference between the grains. I was still in this mindset the next morning so I just kept the momentum going.
This bread utilizes an overnight preferment called a yeast starter. It reminds me more of a sponge than a starter; however, for this post, I’ll stick with the term starter.
If you are looking for a moist and fluffy bread, refer to Elizabeth’s post. If you want bread with a more complex and nutty flavor, you might enjoy this Einkorn version.
I love the addition of fennel seeds (Elizabeth’s idea) rather than caraway seeds. So do try that regardless of which version you make.
L’Otto di Merano (Eight from Merano)
- Yield: 1 Loaf 1x
Description
L’Otto di Merano is an Italian Rye Bread that is traditionally shaped into two balls which are connected at the center to look like a figure eight. This version is made with Einkorn.
Ingredients
Starter
- 300g (300 ml) water at 100F
- 5g (0.125 tsp) active dry yeast
- 21g barley malt extract
- 75g (~0.75 c) organic whole grain rye flour
- 100g (~0.75 c) all-purpose Einkorn flour
Dough
- 60g (60 ml) water at 100F
- 2g (0.5 tsp) active dry yeast (I used 3/8 tsp yeast)
- 27g (2 Tbsp) olive oil
- 300g all-purpose Einkorn flour
- 85g 100% wholegrain Einkorn flour
- 15g (~2 Tbsp) ground flaxseed
- 10g fine sea salt
- 2.5g (1.25 tsp) fennel seeds
Instructions
- Starter: On the evening before baking the bread, warm the water to 100F. Pour the warm water into a medium-sized bowl and whisk in the tiny amount of yeast. Add the flours and malted barley and, using a wooden spoon, or Danish dough whisk, stir the mixture until the flour is completely incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it sit overnight at room temperature.
- Mixing the dough: The next morning, warm the rest of the water to 100F (if it gets too hot, add cold water) and pour into a smallish container. Whisk in the rest of the yeast until it has dissolved. Pour this mixture into the starter (that should be bubbling nicely).
- In a large bowl, add the flour, salt and fennel seeds. Whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients (except the olive oil) to the flour mixture and using a spatula, Danish dough whisk, or your fingers, mix thoroughly until all of the flour is absorbed.
- Pour the olive oil over the top of the dough and work it in using your fingers until it is completely incorporated into the dough. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Folding: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten into a rough rectangle. Fold the dough onto itself by taking your hand and stretching the dough over itself from the left, right, top and bottom. Place the dough seam-side down in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter at room temperature (70- 75 degrees F.) for 2 -3 hours. Perform 2 or 3 more folds in 30 minute increments. Let the dough rest for the final 1 ½ hours.
- Shaping: Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide the dough in two and form into two rounds. Place the rounds close together in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a draft-free area at room temperature until it has almost doubled.
- Baking: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature is between 200F and 210F. Remove the bread from the oven.
- Cooling: Take the finished bread from the oven and put it onto a footed wire rack to cool. Remove it from the pan immediately to allow the bottom to firm up. Allow the baked bread to cool completely before cutting into it. It’s still baking inside! But, of course you may want to serve warm bread. Reheat it after it has cooled completely. To reheat any Unsliced bread, turn the oven to 450F for 5 minutes or so. Turn the oven OFF. Put the bread in the hot oven for ten minutes.
- Category: Bread
- Method: Yeast
- Cuisine: Italian
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- Bubbly Yeast Starter
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- Dough before fold
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- After final folds
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- After bulk proofing
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- Dividing the Dough
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- Dough balls in Loaf Pan
Elizabeth of blog from Our kitchen is the host kitchen this month for the Bread Baking Babes. She chose L’Otto di Merano as the monthly challenge. For details on how to participate in this month’s bake, please visit Elizabeth’s post. You can bake along as a buddy, even if you don’t have a blog.
Happy Baking!
Cathy
The Bread Baking Babes are:
- Bake My Day – Karen
- blog from OUR kitchen – Elizabeth
- Bread Experience – Cathy
- Feeding my Enthusiasms – Pat/Elle
- girlichef – Heather
- Life’s a Feast – Jamie
- Lucullian Delights – Ilva
- My Diverse Kitchen – Aparna
- My Kitchen In Half Cups – Tanna
- Notitie Van Lien – Lien
- Thyme for Cooking – Katie (Bitchin’ Bread Baking Babe Bibliothécaire)
- Karen’s Kitchen Stories – Karen
- Judy’s Gross Eats – Judy
How cool that you made it with einkorn! Well, of course you did =) You are so knowledgable about ancient grains! Beautiful loaf.
I definitely like working with ancient grains.
What a lovely, grain rich loaf! Bet this makes great sandwiches. Never tried einkorn…is it nutty tasting?
Thanks! Yes, it has a nutty flavor. Sometimes, I taste a spicy undertone as well.
Is barley malt extract a liquid of powder? Im finding alot of it for brewing purposes.
Thanks!!
Hi Vickey, I used the powered barley malt extract but there is also a liquid version. I got mine at a local brewing store.
Love to see your step by step pictures (and yes yours is a tacky dough as well phew!)
Hi Karen, yes mine was a tacky dough as well. 🙂
Hi Cathy
Einkorn tastes great; and I’m excited about potential health benefits from replacing ‘modern’ grains in my diet with organic ‘ancient’ grains.
Regarding the ingredients for L’Otto di Merona, I believe that both barley and rye are highly hybridized ‘modern’ grains.
So do you have recipes for only organic ancient grains – not hybridized, not GMO, etc?
Randolph
Hi Randolph, Thanks for your feedback. This bread was the monthly challenge for one of my baking groups. As such, I didn’t change all of the ingredients. I just substituted Einkorn for the all-purpose flour and the whole wheat flour.
I have some breads with only ancient grains and some that are a mixture of flours, but I generally only use organic wheat regardless of whether it is modern or ancient or a heritage grain. I’m still experimenting with different types of flours.
You could certainly make this bread without the barley and rye. It would change the color, flavor and texture, but it would work.
Thank you, Cathy.
Regarding L’Otto di Merona, you mean I could simply eliminate the barley and rye from the ingredients list, that is with no other adjustment, substitution?
Hi Randolph, if you eliminate the barley and rye, you’ll probably want to either reduce the amount of liquid by 75 grams or add 75 grams more of Einkorn flour in the starter. I would recommend just adding more Einkorn.
I really like that your eight shows that you are baking in the digital age! It looks just like the 8 on my digital clock.
How cool that you used Einkorn flour. Your bread looks fabulous! And I’m glad you approve of the fennel seed addition. It’s good, isn’t it?
Now there you go… I hadn’t thought of that. I definitely approve of the fennel seeds. I love the flavor of fennel.
What a gorgeous loaf…. It looks like it would be beautiful toast.
Thank you Katie! It does make good toast.
I love how you start with an “written”eight and it end up being baked as a digital 8. I still have a small bag of einkornflour here, don’t dare to use it as it was ridiciously expensive. Curious what it tastes like.
You know I never saw the “digital 8” until you and Elizabeth brought it up, but I like that. Einkorn can be expensive, but I think it’s worth it. Go ahead and try it; you don’t want to let it go bad.
Oh Cathy are we genius or what! A digital 8. Your bread and it’s shape are marvelous.
The einkorn flour has been on my list for forever. I really have to come up with some soon. Perhaps your loaf crumb would not be to everyone’s like but it would be great in my book.
Thanks Karen! This bread is a different experience for sure, but some people prefer the nuttier and complex flavor of Einkorn. You should try it soon.
We made this nread exact in every way, except, no store or market had the barley malt extract, so, we replaced it with the same amount of organic black strap molasses, which we added to the water and warmed it for the yeast. Our bread was colored a bit darker, but it had the perfect rise, taste and texture! However, i want to say this, i must say this: thoe fennel seeds! WOW! I had never in all the years of my baking rye bread, never thought to add fennel seeds in exchange for the caraway seeds! They gave the bread an awesome flavor, but then, i love fennel! Thank you for posting this wonderful bread! Ps…the other person is my hubby (grin) he is just now learning how to cook. He loves this bread! We both do! Just wish i could post a pic!
Hi Laura, I’m so glad you enjoyed this bread. I really like fennel seeds myself. I would love to see a photo of your bread. The comments don’t allow for photos, but you’re welcome to post it to the Bread Experience Facebook page. I’m sure others would love to see your bread.
Hi,
I would really like to make this bread using an active sourdough starter I have in my fridge. do you know how I would incorporate it and how much to use? thank you Joyce
Hi Joyce, you can use 10% sourdough culture instead of the active dry yeast. So take the 175 grams total flour and multiply by 10% = 17.5 grams or round up to 18 grams or even 20 grams would be okay.
Forgot to mention, if you have a 100% hydration starter, you may need to reduce the water a bit, but probably not by much.