Where I live in the Southern Tier of New York State, it is the spiedie, a specialty that, I must admit, is not my favorite. In parts of Central New York, it is stretch bread.
What is stretch bread?
It is a bread made from something like ciabatta dough, stretched before baking. Some online sources say it must be baked on a stone, in a deep, dry oven. (In other words, don't try this one at home.) Another name for it is Stirato.
This is what it looks like when you eat it.
And it has even been the subject of a lawsuit.
I've purchased it, warm from the oven, from a bakery in Skaneateles, New York (some 30 miles west of Syracuse), and it is heavenly.
This might (or might not) be a recipe for it. I make no claims - I have not made it for myself. I do challenge a particular woman out in Nebraska (she knows who she is) to make it, though.
Getting back to spiedies for a minute, too many of these marinated meat cubes I've eaten have been dry. And, to top it off, they are put into what passes for "Italian" bread in the Binghamton area (sorry, speaking here as a native of New York City), which makes the meal even drier. I have a throat condition where I need to eat moist food, and spiedies just don't work for me.
But I bet they would be great on stretch bread. (And now that I've alienated all of my Southern Tier of New York readers....)
Dear readers, have any of you ever made stretch bread? Can it be made at home?
Alana! There should be some law (or at least an Ultra Blog Challenge rule) to posting such a post right after Lisa Scott's weight loss post ... Somehow, they don't go so well together :( The bread looks heavenly! I can even smell it ... and oh ... with spaghetti sauce!)
ReplyDeleteTo take my mind off of it ... I can feel the kilos creeping up on me from just thinking about it ... What ever happened with the lawsuit?
THANKS :)
HUGS <3
Agreed, but just the enjoyment of looking at it is enough for now!
DeleteWell..I'm on Weight Watchers (have been for nearly two years) AND I bought two loaves of this bread last week - most in my freezer right now. Is there a conflict? Well, I'll know when I weigh myself shortly! (As for the lawsuit, it was settled in August, but the parties can't discuss it.) Here's a link: thanks for the interest!
Deletehttp://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/08/restaurant_accused_of_stealing_bread_recipe_fires_workers_at_center_of_suit_lawy.html
I've never even heard of this... but now I totally wanna check it out :D
ReplyDeleteIt's so good, if you love good bread.
DeleteOh, the delight of imaging this delicious bread! I can only say you are a Corn Mother! These are the women who can not only plan and create, but can weed and nurture, then harvest and can and begin again!
ReplyDeleteDelightful!
This is a high compliment - I hope I can live up to it.
DeleteIs it anything like the stretched and twisted flatbread that Safeway sells (frozen) in the Pizza section? I have to admit I'm somewhat addicted to the cheeze one, which beats any frozen pizza I've tried.
ReplyDeleteI've never bought frozen bread - and the Safeways here closed many, many years ago - so, alas, I can not tell you. But if you ever visit Ithaca again, Skaneateles is about an hours drive away.
Delete(It looks a lot like my artisan breads--and they are baked on stones, but in a steamy oven . . . )
ReplyDeleteI bet, if you could taste and feel it, you could duplicate it. If you ever visit Auburn, NY to see the Civil War related things there, you will be just a handful of miles away from the bakery I bought this bread from.
DeleteHey Alana
ReplyDeleteYou had me at BREAD :P I am a die-hard fan of all things yeasty :P - hhehehe
I should ask my husband about 'stretch bread' - sounds scrumptious!!! YUMMM
LOVE ya
Kitto
I hope you find a way to recreate it. And, for whatever it is worth, I visited Syracuse today and passed both restaurants involved in the lawsuit I mentioned above. (No, I didn't eat at either one.)
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