Monreale bread (u Pani ri Murriali)
Bread
Product included in the national list of traditional agri-food products (PAT)
Typology PAT : Fresh pasta and products from the bakery, biscuits, pastry and confectionery
Production area:
Technical data sheet of the traditional agri-food product (PAT)
Area of production: All the municipal area of Monreale (PA).
Brief description of the product: Monreale bread is produced exclusively with durum wheat semolina flour, water, salt and yeast and sesame. It comes in different forms:
Round loaf of ½ Kg. And 1 Kg.
Pizziata loaf of ½ Kg. And 1 Kg.
Long smooth loaf of ¼, ½ Kg. And 1 Kg.
Ladder loaf of ¼, ½ Kg. And 1 Kg.
Monreale bread is recognizable by the crisp and thick brown external crust (minimum 3 mm.) Sprinkled with sesame seeds and by the intense yellow crumb with regular holes or alveoli.
Description of the processing and maturing methods: For the dough of each quintal of flour, 2 kg of salt, 70 liters of hot water and yeast (natural or beer) must be added. The dough is kneaded for about 20 minutes. The first 1 hour growth phase follows. After growth, the dough is manually molded into the desired shapes. The form obtained, sprinkled with sesame, is ready for the second growth phase, lasting 40 minutes. The cooking in the oven takes place at temperatures between 300 ° and 320 ° with cooking times varying according to the size. The freshly baked bread is placed in rush baskets until the temperature is rebalanced.
Specific materials and equipment used for preparation and conditioning: The equipment is specific to bread making: mechanical mixer and oven. For the Pane di Monreale only the wood-burning oven is used, which is fed directly or indirectly.
Description of the processing, storage and maturing rooms: Bakery workshop. Elements proving that the methodologies have been practiced in a homogeneous way and according to traditional rules for a period of not less than 25 years: The bread-making system of Pane di Monreale has remained unchanged over time. The only element of innovation occurred in the 50s with the introduction of the mechanical mixer in the processing system. The traditional recipe has been preserved for the satisfaction that the product has always had from consumers.
The quality characteristics of Pane di Monreale are also recognized outside the region.
Source Pat Cards: Sicily Region
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Information contributions: Web, Region of Sicily
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