Our holey-est bread.

Paesano comes from the Puglia region of Italy. The name itself translates to “villager” or “countryman.” Here in the US, the equivalent is something like “friend” or “homeboy.” The recipe itself came from bread baker Michael London when he first visited us here at the Bakehouse to help refine our recipes and baking techniques. And that recipe hasn’t actually changed much since we first started baking it back in 1993.

First we make a poolish which is a starter that ferments for 5-6 hours. The dough is then mixed and proofed for about 5 hours. After it proofs, our bread bakers scale and shape each loaf by hand. The bread is in the oven within the hour.

Paesano has a thin, chewy crust dusted lightly with organic cornmeal. Inside, the soft white crumb is filled with large air pockets. Those holes aren’t a mistake. These “air pockets” are really pockets of trapped CO2. So, during the 14 ½ hours of fermentation, these large pockets of ‘bread aroma’ are produced and become the wonderful open crumb of the bread. Plus those air pockets allow the bread to fully absorb the flavor of whatever you are “ripping and dipping”.

Don’t just take it from me. This is Mike’s favorite bread.

Mike works in the warehouse at Zingerman’s Mail Order and directs a lot of our videos around Zingerman’s. Here’s what he has to say:

“If I had only one word to describe Paesano Bread, it’d be “utilitarian.” Yes, that’s not a very sexy depiction, but Paesano’s strongest quality is that it’s a multi-functional, pragmatic workhorse of a bread. The interior is thoroughly permeated with air-pockets. It’s those pockets that make Paesano so versatile. They allow the bread to become infused with the flavors of whatever you serve it with.

It’s perfect for sopping up leftover spaghetti sauce, for dunking in soup, or as a companion to cheeses or salami. It’s sturdy enough to hold a sandwich together, but with a flavor subtle enough to not overwhelm your favorite sandwich makings. My sister slices off the top of the loaf, hollows out the inside, fills it with meats, oils, and roasted vegetables, puts the top back on, and slices the loaf to serve at parties. It’s always a hit. Plus, Paesano is wonderful to eat just by itself — all the better to appreciate its soft, chewy texture.”