How to make Ciriola Roman bread?

Hello every one, 

Here in Muscat it is winter season, cold but not rainy. So no problem with using the oven, all I 

need to do is to put some ingredients together and play with dough, heat the oven and sprinkle

some flour here and there. I am in the mood of baking some bread. Looking at the long waiting 

list of several types of bread that need to be baked, which one would I pick? My eyes fall on the

word Roman and I found me  jumping into the kitchen. The word Roman brings back all the 

sweet memories of my visit to Rome, Italy in 2011, followed by the nice train journey to 

Florence. Rome is a magnificent city, the buildings, the culture, the food. Oh! Everything there

was breathtaking. I wish to visit Italy again.

So, ladies and gentlemen, today I bring you a delicious bread (for those who like bread with 

crumbs); it is the famous traditional Roman bread; ciriola Roman.

Ciriola are small (70-100 grams) slightly elongated rolls that resemble a rugby ball, swollen in 

the middle and pointed at the ends, however they are named after their candle flame-like 

shape; since candle being called cereola in Latin. They are also characterized by their crunchy 

golden crust and lots of soft crumb inside with large pockets, which help to give it smoothness.

We, who are not from Italy particularly Rome, hardly know this bread that fed the Italians 

during the war, and even after, and was once the typical support for sandwiches for workers 

until the mid-60s, when it was replaced by the loaf. And just after the war, the bread was 

modernized further, which was nothing more than just a more elongated ciriola with fewer 

crumbs. Now it is more difficult to find. 

Well, now completed the brief history of this important bread at that time. How can I make 

Rome bread at home?

Ciriola are made in two stages, the process is called “indirect method” which needs the  

preparation of a starter (base), and after 16-20 hours of leavening to be joined to the dough. 

The main ingredients are flour, fresh yeast, and salt, other recipes may call for malt, milk and 

oil. Flour is kneaded with the starter and the yeast melted in lukewarm water.The salt 

generally is made only towards the end of the kneading. The mass obtained is left to rest for 

30 minutes at room temperature. It is then split into pieces weighing 100 grams each; allowed 

to rest another 10 minutes at room temperature, then shaped into elongated centrally bloated

rolls. And after 45-60-minute rising at room temperature, they are put in the oven and baked.

As a variation, you can add to them raisins, olives, vegetables or meats like salami.

My ciriola came out perfect (ignoring the shape :-P). No need to tell you, the smell is fragrant, 

with hints of oven and memories of yeast. The flavor is delicate. The consistency is given by 

the lovely crumbs in the inside, which constitutes a soft support to the typical crispness of the 

ciriola crust. 

Ciriola are delicious the day they are baked, either plain as a snack or for sandwiches filled with

roasted meats, grilled vegetables, omelets, tuna, cheese, athichokes or salads, etc as lunch at 

work. Mostly used for sandwiches because they can hold too juicy food for the presence of 

crumb, ideal for absorbing condiments; which makes ciriola a hearty bread, suitable for fast 

takeoff of hunger... Really satisfying. 

However, like all small loaves it quickly lose fragrance and dry; so the fresh loaves are used for

sandwiches, but after two days they are perfect to make croutons beside soups and main 

dishes. I keep them in the freezer and when i need some, just pop them in the microwave for 

45 seconds.

The options are endless to include ciriola with your lunch or dinner meal; it can be cut  into one

centimeter thick slices, and served to thicken soups and broths. Or, once cut, is browned in a 

pan with butter and served with salads. The ciriola also can be toasted in the oven; and used 

as the basis of liver pate. It is also suitable to accompany appetizers and cheese. 

The ciriola, by its featuring crumb, allows good absorption of sauces; suitable to accompany 

stews and casseroles. In addition, it can be served with tomato dishes like red sauce with 

eggplant and lamb stew with peas.

You can learn making them by following the recipe below. For me, it was easy to make, fun to 
shape and yum to eat......Nothing beats fresh homemade bread. So give it a try.
 

Here is the recipe (For 8-10 servings , 80-100g each):

Ingredients for the base (starter):

250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour

2.5 g of fresh yeast or 1g (1/2 tsp) highly active instant dry yeast

150- 180 g (2/3 – ¾ cup) lukewarm water

In a large bowl, combine the flour and yeast with 2/3 cup of water and knead the dough until 

smooth and elastic, you may need more water, add 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 2 tablespoons)

while kneading until you get the smooth dough.

Cover the bowl with plastic film and let it rise 15-20 hours at room temperature.

Ingredients for the dough:

7.5 g fresh yeast or 2.5g (1 and ¼ tsp) highly active instant dry yeast

½ tsp sugar

150 g (2/3 cup) lukewarm water

250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

Preparation: 

-          Dissolve the dry yeast and sugar in the water, cover and let it foam about 10 minutes

-          Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the center

-          Put the base (starter) in the well and gradually pour the yeast mixture while kneading 

with your hands until you get smooth dough, then add salt toward the end.

-          Transfer the dough into the desktop (sprinkled with little flour if necessary) and knead 

with your hands, by folding the edges of the dough to the center, folding the dough, rolling 

it, flipping, rotating, punching and repeating the process, for 10 minutes

-          Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl sprinkled with flour, leaving the  ends 

underneath. Cover with a cloth and leave to rest for 30 minutes

-          Divide the dough (without stretching) into 8 equal parts each weighs 100 grams, and 

form into balls

-          Put the balls on a clean cloth (the ends are underneath), cover them with a towel and 

leave for 10 minutes

-          Working with each ball, on a lightly floured counter top put the bun with the edges 

upwards. With the bottom of your palm hit (punch) the middle of the ball. With your 

fingertips press the top edge of the dough to the center. 

-          Put your both thumb fingers around the upper end of the dough and roll to get the 

spindle shape. Place the roll on a floured surface with the edge down. Do the same with the 

remaining buns.

-          Cover them with a towel and let to rise 45-60 minutes 

-          Preheat the oven to 250 C degrees, and in the bottom of the oven put a metal container

-          Line two baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the rolls with the ends up, and 

arrange them spaced on the trays. Sprinkle lightly with water using a sprayer.

-          Put one sheet in the upper third of the oven, and the second sheet on the lower shelf. 

Put 8 ice cubes in the metal container.

-          Bake for 15-20 minutes, In the middle of baking, swap the position of the trays. -          Remove the bread, allow it to cool on a wire rack and serve.