Filoni ripieni (Italian style stuffed baguettes)
Filoni ripieni (Italian style stuffed baguettes)
Yield: 2 medium loaves
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinResting Time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 55 M
Golden, crusty, and beautifully rustic, these Italian-style filoni are the ultimate foundation for a hearty, flavour-packed sandwich. The freshly baked loaves have a light, airy crumb that soaks up olive oil perfectly, creating a delicious base for creamy stracciatella, salty coppa, ripe tomatoes, and tangy pickled vegetables. Finished with a handful of peppery rocket, this stuffed filone is simple, generous, and full of Mediterranean flavour, ideal for picnics, lunches, or effortless entertaining.
Ingredients
For the dough:
My Ultimate stuffed Filone:
Instructions
For the dough:
- Mix the dough iIn a large bowl, whisk together the flour and dry yeast. Gradually add the water, mixing with your hand or a wooden spoon until you have a rough, shaggy dough. Knead for 8-10 minutes or until smooth. Let the dough rest in a bowl with some olive oil, covered, for 30 minutes.
- After the rest, wet your hands with a bit of water to prevent sticking. To strengthen the dough, gently stretch one side of the dough upwards and fold it over the centre. Repeat this process with the remaining sides, folding each towards the centre. Flip the dough over so the seam is on the bottom. Repeat this stretch and fold process two more times, every 30 minutes, for a total of three times. After the last fold, cover the dough and let it rise until it roughly doubles in size.
- Shape the filoni . Lightly flour your surface and gently turn out the dough. Divide it into two equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, gently stretch the dough into a rough rectangle (about 20–25 cm long). Starting from a long edge, roll it up tightly into a log, then taper the ends slightly with your hands to get that classic filoni shape.
- Repeat with the second piece. Place the shaped loaves seam-side down on a tray lined with parchment paper and dusted with extra bread flour. Cover loosely with a tea towel and let rise for 30–40 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 230°C. Place a baking tray on the middle rack of the oven, allowing it to heat up. Once the loaves have risen, gently transfer them onto the hot tray. Use a sharp blade or a lame to score the top of each loaf with 3–4 slashes, spaced evenly and spritz with some water.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and crisp. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing or stuffing.
My Ultimate stuffed Filone:
- Slice off the top of your filone, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and a slight sprinkle of salt. Arrange the tomato slices on top, season them lightly with salt. Place a sliced up buffalo mozzarella on top of the tomatoes, pickled vegetables of your choice (like preserved artichoke quartered or preserved grilled zucchini strips), finally top with plenty of coppa. Cut the stuffed filone onto 3-4 panini , ready to serve.
