Pucce Bread Rolls From Puglia

four pucce stacked one on top of another

5 from 2 votes

Pucce Bread is a type of Italian bread that looks like round bread buns with crispy crust, hollow center and very little crumb inside. Perfect for sandwiches of any kind!

Prep Time20

Cook Time6

Proofing Time3

Total Time3 26

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: pucce

Calories: 208kcal

Author: Svi

Ingredients

2 scant cups bread flour , 270 grams
1 ¼ cup semolina flour (semola rimacinata), 180 grams + more for dusting the work surface
1 cup + 3 tbsp water , 270 grams
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon instant dry yeast , 2 grams
2 teaspoon salt , 11 grams

Instructions

Make the dough

In a large mixing bowl add all flour, yeast and water. Give a quick stir then add salt and olive oil.
Mix well first with a fork then using your hands until all flour is incorporated. Make sure to scrape the bowl to get all the flour from the sides and from the bottom of the bowl.
The dough will be uneven and that’s OK.
Leave it in the bowl covered with a plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Fold the dough (1st time)

Pull the dough from the side, stretch slightly and fold over itself in the center.
A few inches apart from the first fold do the same manipulation, repeating the folding process as many times as needed to finish the dough.
The dough will be considerably smoother and softer to touch.
Cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for another 20-30 minutes.

Fold the dough (2nd time)

Repeat the stretching and folding process as before.
Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

Fold the dough (3rd time)

Repeat the stretching and folding process for the last time.
The dough will be smooth and silky.
Cover and let rise for 2.5-3 hours or until double in size.

Form the rolls

Once the dough has doubled in size take it out form the bowl on a lightly floured surface. Fold over itself to form a log. Cut the log into 6 pieces, about 120 grams (4.5 ounces) each.
Take each piece of dough and close its sides in the center, repeat this move a few times rotating the dough piece. Place the roll on the work surface (no flour needed!) and cover it with your palm. Roll the dough under your palm applying some pressure until you get a smooth roll.
Arrange the rolls distanced apart on a well floured work surface (or on a baking sheet). Dust generously with semolina flour and cover with a plastic poly bag and a tea towel. Make sure there’s no air coming through the sides. If you don’t have a large poly bag it’s easier to arrange the rolls on a baking sheet, put 3-4 tall glasses in between the rolls (s0 the plastic wrap won’t touch the dough) and wrap the whole baking sheet in a plastic wrap.
Let the rolls rise for 1 - 1.5 hours or until almost double in size.

Preheat the oven

Place the baking sheet in the upper third of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 530F (275C) at least 30 minutes before baking pucce. If your oven can’t got that high, preheat it at the MAX temperature. Most ovens can be preheated to 480F (250C). In this case preheat at least 45 minutes in advance (and keep the oven on). You might also need to slightly increase baking time.

Shape and bake

Place the dough roll on well floured surface and gently but firmly press the dough in the center using your finger tips. Continue flattening the dough in this way all around leaving the edge 0f about ⅓ inch. It should almost look like you’re making a small pizza.
Flip the dough and do the same on the back side trying to flatten as even as possible. Pop any air bubbles as they will burn in the oven.
Form another puccia in the same way.
Bake two pucce at a time placed on a hot baking sheet (that was preheated in the oven).
Baking time is 4-5 minutes. If the bottom is pale, flip pucce upside down and bake for another minute or two.
Form another pair of pucce and bake the second batch. Repeat the process with the rest of the pucce.

Notes

For the perfect result use kitchen scale to measure all ingredients in grams.

Nutrition