ATTN: Italian Americans - Sicilian Bread??? (yolk, creamy, recipe, 2013)

[ralphfr]

OK. My sister and I were reminiscing about the food we remember from our holidays and family get togethers. I'm 62 and she's 68. One item we remember was a special bread that we have never seen again in our adult lives. It was as I recall always in ring form with square cuts or sometimes braided. It had the smoothest creamy beige colored crust that was as hard as eggshells but much thicker. The inside was pure white and as soft as cotton. As we recall it was called Sicilian bread.


Last weekend we spent Saturday on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, which was awesome. My first trip there I'm sorry to say. Looked everywhere without success. Of course the bakeries all have younger help so they had no clue what we were talking about.


Google was no help. Sicilian Bread pics all had normal looking crusts. Anyone else remember this bread?

[Caligula1]

Is it something like Easter bread..?

I know you didn't mention the eggs but perhaps the bread recipe without the eggs?

[ralphfr]

No. It's not sweet at all and has no eggs. I cannot stress enough about the unique crust. Very smooth and hard with a unique creamy color. Thanks.

[Snowball7]

I think what you're describing is here in the 12" ring loaf,
and it can be ordered.
Specialty breads offered by Cardinal Bakery, a wholesale bakery in Sterling, Virginia specializing in brick oven breads

[Urania93]

"Hard and smooth crust" make me think at something brushed on the surface. Usually I've heard of brushing the surface with egg yolk (which make the surface look yellowish like this), or milk (here a "bread braid" brushed with milk). Some simpler bread recipes, that makes the bread with smooth and hard crust, just brush oil on the surface (example).

The really white and soft inside makes me think about some milk addition instead.

I have also tried to search "pane siciliano" (Sicilian bread in Italian), but it didn't help much. The only results I get on Italian pages talk about bread made with flour of this variety of wheat, the same used for pasta, that makes the bread much heavier and yellower. So I'm practically sure that it is not the same thing.

[ralphfr]

Originally Posted by Snowball7

I think what you're describing is here in the 12" ring loaf,
and it can be ordered.
Specialty breads offered by Cardinal Bakery, a wholesale bakery in Sterling, Virginia specializing in brick oven breads

It does look similar. I have saved the link and will try it. Thanks very much.

[ralphfr]

Originally Posted by Urania93

"Hard and smooth crust" make me think at something brushed on the surface. Usually I've heard of brushing the surface with egg yolk (which make the surface look yellowish like this), or milk (here a "bread braid" brushed with milk). Some simpler bread recipes, that makes the bread with smooth and hard crust, just brush oil on the surface (example).

The really white and soft inside makes me think about some milk addition instead.

I have also tried to search "pane siciliano" (Sicilian bread in Italian), but it didn't help much. The only results I get on Italian pages talk about bread made with flour of this variety of wheat, the same used for pasta, that makes the bread much heavier and yellower. So I'm practically sure that it is not the same thing.

I really don't think it was brushed with anything. The crust was a very consistent texture and color. Your examples are too yellow/gold . Thanks.

[ralphfr]

To the poster who messaged me about R.I. that sounds like an excellent lead. Haven't been there in a while so this is a good excuse. Have a few ideas now. Thanks to all who posted.


Buon Appetito!!!