Porcini & Roasted Hazelnut Bread

I have just shared the last slice of this delicious bread, toasted for breakfast with my Italian friend Nali, I did send a loaf home with my daughter at the weekend but really I should have baked more.

For this bread you will need:

for the ferment,
1 tablespoon of starter from the fridge
200g of strong white flour
200g of water

For the main dough,
600g of Strong white flour
350g of water
100g of Roasted Hazelnuts
30g of dried Porcini Mushrooms (plus a little oil for frying)
1 tablespoon of Hazelnut Oil
12g of salt.

Begin by creating the ferment, this will happily sit a bowl for the whole day until last thing at night before you go to bed. Mix all the ingredients to form a very thick batter, leave covered at room temperature. If your home is very warm, lucky you but apart from that, reduce the time this process takes to accommodate the activity of the wild yeast. Keep an eye on the ferment, it is ready to use when there is healthy bubbly activity.

Prepare the porcini mushroom by rehydrating in 2 tablespoons of boiling water, after a few minutes of saoking, chop up the mushrooms and fry in a little oil for a minute or two, add the saoking water and continue cooking until all the liquid has been absorbed. Allow to cool completely

Last thing before going to bed, in a large bowl (I use my Kenwood mixer) mix all the remaining ingredients apart from the salt. Leave covered overnight.
In the morning, add the salt and mix thoroughly to incorporate. Stretch and fold the soft dough every hour over the following four hours, being careful to avoid knocking out as much of the air as possible. I find this easier if the dough remains in the bowl, then any rogue hazelnuts that pop out easily become re-incorporated.

For the dough into two boule loaves and place seam side down on a well floured linen cloth. Leave in a draft free place for 2 hours until risen, transfer carefully onto a baking stone before slashing and baking in a hot oven 220 degrees C, for 30 - 35 minutes.

Notes:
The addition of the small amount of Hazelnut oil does make a difference to the texture of the bread, as well as enhancing the flavour of the Hazelnuts in the bread; it makes the crumb more tender and the crust easier to cut. If hazelnut oil is not available though, the bread is still good.