M'tucci's Bread
/It’s pretty difficult to pick my favorite M’tucci’s House Made product, there are so many from which to choose. Mozzarella, Burrata, Shrubs, Pancetta, Bacon, Sausage, Mostarda, Pickles, and Pasta to name a few. I love all of them, but I think the bread is among the best I have ever had, which includes Acme, Tartine and Boudin in Berkley/San Francisco, Poilâne in Paris or Sage in Santa Fe.
Baguette, Whole Wheat, Sourdough, Rye and Ciabatta
The reasons why the bread is so good? Technique, time and quality ingredients pretty much sums it up. Start with great flour, use an excellent starter, take the time to mix it, let it rise slowly and bake it carefully. One of the most important of these is the starter, which is used instead of a commercial yeast. Several years ago, as Chefs/Partners Shawn and Cory were given the task of creating the menu and products for the Italian Market, Shawn came across a very old starter (or mother) that the Chef where he was working (a local restaurant which shall remain nameless) was going to discard. He nabbed it and our bakers have been feeding it since then.
Sourdough starters acquire yeast and bacteria from the air, and in doing so, become a product of their environment. A starter brought from San Francisco to Albuquerque may have all the characteristics of a San Francisco bread in the beginning, but after time, as local yeasts and bacterias are absorbed, the mother will no longer be a San Francisco mother, but will become an Albuquerque mother. Baking with sourdough is not easy, since it’s a delicate dance to balance.
“My favorite thing about bread in general is that it is never perfect. We have been baking loaves for 6 years and every time I try it, all I can think is that it can be better. Still though, everytime I toast up a piece of the wheat bread (my personal favorite), I remember why I got into bread baking in the first place,” said Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin.
“It isn’t easy to make good bread with sourdough cultures,” writes Harold McGee in his encyclopedic tome of food science, On Food and Cooking, first published in 1984. This is for a couple reasons, he explains. One is the balance of bacteria and yeast. Because the bacteria grow faster than the yeast, there is far more bacteria in any given starter, which can inhibit yeast’s production of carbon dioxide, which helps bread to rise. In addition, because a sourdough starter is acidic, it can weaken the structure of bread dough, resulting in a dense loaf.
Sourdough breads are challenging to make, but they have superior flavor and texture compared to mass-produced bread. They are also healthier according to many websites and sources. Here are some quotes from the website breadmatters.com, “Sourdough lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can modify the bits of gliadin and glutenin protein in wheat flour that are toxic to people with coeliac disease (CD) and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. This doesn’t necessarily mean gluten-sensitive people can eat it, but the presence of LAB means it is more digestible and can contribute to good gut health, similar to probiotics.”
“LAB also produce anti-oxidants and peptide lunasin, an anti-allergenic substance. In addition, sourdough with unbleached flour is a significant source of dietary minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc.” People who are reducing carbs or are adhering to the Keto diet should know, " “sourdough LAB produce organic acids that, under the heat of baking, cause interactions that reduce starch availability. The lowest glycaemic index (GI) breads are whole-grain sourdoughs.” Translation: fewer calories and sugar than conventional bread.
All of this is good stuff, but I’m in it for the flavor and the texture, and M’tucci’s breads and pizza dough with sourdough starters are loaded with flavor. We should note that all traditional Napoletana pizzas in Italy use a starter - never commercial yeast. So authentic Napoletana pizza has a sourdough crust - as does M’tucci’s!
Our bread is available as an appetizer or with some small plates and as whole loaves at all of our locations. You can also find M’tucci’s loaves at area Albertsons Markets, Silver Street Market, and Humble Coffee.
If you want to give sourdough bread a try at home, Chef Cory is going to do a series of videos with some tips and pointers. In the first video, now on M’tucci’s YouTube Channel, he shows you how to make your own sourdough starter. So throw away those packets of yeast and tune in now! We’ll have the second video on bread making ready in a week or two.
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
8 oz Hand Cut Herb-Rubbed Filet Mignon - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Balsamic Reduction $29
Pan-Seared Sea Scallops - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $29
Ravioli - Bolognese Ricotta Ravioli tossed with Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Butternut Squash, Haricot Vert, Caramelized Onion, Spicy Herbed Cream Sauce $21
Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27
M’tucci’s Moderno
24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $33
Pan-Seared Swordfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $27
Tortellini with Beef Tips, Cajun Seasoning, Diced Tomatoes, Green Onions, Rosa Sauce, Gorgonzola Cheese $21
Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Pan-Seared Ling Cod, Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Topped with Prosciutto Powder $24
Bone-In Seared Pork Chop with Crispy Camp Fire Potatoes, Sautéed Kale, Shrub Gastrique $18
President/Company Chef John Haas on Kitchen Conversations
John took part in a 30 minute conversation with Shamrock Foods on their Facebook page yesterday. He talked about several of the things M’tucci’s has done to thrive during difficult times. He also dropped a few hints about two exciting new programs on the horizon for M’tucci’s. If you missed it, you can watch it by clicking on this link here. The link takes you to their Facebook page, then scroll through the posts to Kitchen Conversations.
Weekend Brunch Returns to M’tucci’s Italian
New Dessert at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Dessert!!
Mixology Guru Trey and Pastry Guru Brianna teamed up to bring you the Mocha Walnut Banana Bread Cocktail with a special Chocolate Bar on top. It’s pretty WOW!
Dreaming of Italy
Thanks for reading. See you next Friday, Ciao!
