Joanne's NY Italian Braided Loaf
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A HUGE thanks to BC20 baker, Joanne Galatolo Nunziante for allowing me to explore her recipe for a New York-style Italian braided Loaf she remembered fondly from her childhood.
It's been an interesting piece of research. I've been down bakery 'rabbit holes' from Arthur Avenue to Bensonhurst, exploring the differences that certain oils and sugars could make to the bread.
I hope this is close to the Treccia di Pane, sold throughout the NY Italian areas. I lacks the seolina that would identify it as a Pane Siciliano. There'a recipe for this at
although that one isn't braided but is shaped into an 'S' according to the tradition of the Occhi dei Santa Lucia,
I've left Joanne's recipe more or less intact, but added a few notes as I went along. You'll find my notes after the ingredients.
INGREDIENTS
Yeast sponge
240 gms warm (bottled) water *
7 gms instant active yeast
4 gms of sugar or honey**
Dough
370 gms of white bread flour***
30 gms of light oil****
6 gms fine sea salt
Topping
1 egg white
15 gms of water
sesame seeds
NOTES
* Try to use bottled water, soft and free from any chlorination.
** I prefer honey to sugar, but if you wish to use sugar, choose granulated.
*** Choose a bread flour with a protein of about 12%. This is a slightly lower protein flour than the really strong white bread flours...it may well match your AP flour.
**** Joanne originally used EVOO oil but found it rather overpowering. If you can, use a very light olive oil or, alternatively, an avocado, rapeseed or sunflower neutral-tasting oil. Also, 30 gms of oil may seem quite a lot. If you want a loaf that has a soft crumb and a good shelf life, then it's fine. However, if you want a loaf that crackles when it's cut, only add 10 gms of oil. My research informed me that many bakeries in the Bensonhurst and Arthur Avenue areas tend to prefer the 'crackly' crust, but, of course, it won't last as long in the bread bin.
METHOD
Bloom the yeast with 240 gms warm water, and the sugar. Stir and let it sit for 5 - 10 minutes until bubbly.
Add the flour, oil and salt. Mix and knead for 8 - 10 minutes until you have a soft and silky dough.
Cover the dough and let it prove in a warm place until it's doubled in size.
Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal parts. Roll into balls, cover and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Now take each ball and roll it into a strand. Braid the three strands and place the braided dough on a prepared baking sheet.
Cover and leave to prove until doubled in size.
Whisk the egg white with a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Brush over the loaf and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 200⁰C (400⁰F) (This is CONVENTIONAL - slightly cooler for a fan oven) for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool on a rack.
Well, Joanne? Did I do it justice?
