Ferrarese Couple

Coppia Ferrarese is a traditional bread product from the Italian province of Ferrara. It is made of two dough pieces joined in the middle (a nastro/ribbon) and folded at each end to form four crostini.

The ingredients required for the production of Coppia Ferrarese IGP are: Type "0" soft wheat flour, water, pure pork tallow (strutto di puro suino), extra virgin olive oil, natural yeast (sourdough), food salt and malt (in grain or extract form).

• The water/flour ratio is calculated as 35% depending on the flour used, which is essential to obtain a "hard dough" (for other soft doughs, this ratio may be 50% or more).
• The pure lard/flour ratio is 5-7% depending on the flour used.
• The virgin olive oil/flour ratio is 2-4%.
• The "mother yeast" (lievito di madre)/flour ratio corresponds to 10% of the flour used.
• The use of bakery additives such as antioxidants (E300) and emulsifiers (E471, E472, lecithins) is strictly prohibited.

The production process is based on traditional techniques:

• Dough Preparation: All ingredients are mixed for 15 to 20 minutes in a slow, clockwise paddle mixer (impastatrice a forcella) to ensure a homogeneous mixture and promote even distribution of the oils. The slow movement of the mixer prevents the dough from heating, which is essential for achieving a "firm dough," which must be completed before the full shaping (leaving) begins.
• Refining: The mixed dough is passed through the automatic roller 15 to 20 times for the refining stage.
• Shaping: After refining, the dough is cut into strips between 1.0 cm and 2.0 cm thick, depending on the desired product format, and then shaped by the machine, which then extrudes the dough into two "half-pairs." The final step is to manually combine the two dough pieces (compression). Alternatively, after refining, the dough is manually divided into pieces of the desired weight, which are then divided in half and kneaded by hand until they form an oval "pastella."
• Proofing (Lievitazione): The shaped bread is placed on wooden planks, covered with a cloth, and placed in the proofing room, where it lasts 70 to 90 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature. Proofing is achieved by using "mother yeast" (lievito di madre).
• Baking: After the proofing phase is complete, baking is done in fixed-base ovens, which is done traditionally by heating the base and transferring heat from the bottom to the top. When placing the bread in the oven, the flue valves are left open to release any water vapor; once baking is complete, the valves are closed to prevent the steam generated in the first stage of baking and to promote bread development.

To obtain the "mother yeast" (lievito madre), high-strength or high-gluten Type "0" soft wheat flour is mixed with water (water/flour ratio 45%). Red wine vinegar, hops, or grape must are added to initiate fermentation. The mixture is kneaded by hand, kept soft and pliable, and after 10 minutes of processing, the formed ball is allowed to rest for 24 hours in a laboratory environment, away from heat sources. Approximately 200 g of flour and 9-10 cl of water are then added to the mixture and allowed to rest for another 12 hours. This process is repeated every 12 hours for five consecutive days. One day before full maturation, the mixture is placed in a fork mixer, mixed, and placed in a container lined with a cotton cloth.

Coppia Ferrarese must have the following characteristics when offered to the consumer:

• Weight: Must be between 80 g and 250 g.
• Appearance: It consists of two pieces of dough connected in the middle by a strip (nastro), each with ends bent to form four horns (crostini).
• Color: Golden with almost yellowish veins in the sprained areas.
• Smell and Taste: Its odor is penetrating, appetizing and delicious in taste (sapido).
• Humidity: The produced parts must have a humidity level ranging from 12% to 19% depending on their weight, this value is especially evaluated in the part called "crostino".

Bread must be offered for sale within 24 hours of production and cannot be frozen, frozen, or otherwise preserved. However, packaged bread may be marketed for longer than 24 hours in packaging that guarantees preservation without the use of preservatives or additives. Manufacturers must brand each loaf according to the logo attached to the production regulations. The addition of complimentary adjectives such as "extra," "fine," "selezionato," "superior," and similar to the "Coppia Ferrarese" IGP name is prohibited.