Non-VegetarianEmiliana-Romagnola cuisine Baking

Coppia Ferrarese

Name: Coppia Ferrarese
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Emiliana-Romagnola
Ingredients: 500 g strong bread flour; 200 ml Water; 100 g lievito madre (mature sourdough starter); 35 g strutto (pure pork lard); 15 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 5 g barley malt extract; 10 g Fine sea salt

Coppia Ferrarese is a traditional twisted bread from Ferrara, famous for its four crisp spiralled horns and soft central heart enriched with lard.

🇮🇹Italy· Emilia-Romagna

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Hard
Calories: 310 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

500 g strong bread flour — Tipo 0 or strong white flour
200 ml Water — lukewarm
100 g lievito madre (mature sourdough starter) — active and refreshed
35 g strutto (pure pork lard) — softened at room temperature
15 ml Extra virgin olive oil — cold pressed
5 g barley malt extract — or runny honey
10 g Fine sea salt — fine grain

Equipment

•Baking tray
•Rolling pin or pasta roller
•Large mixing bowl
•Baking parchment
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 310 kcal
fat: 8 g
carbs: 52 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 310 kcal

Instructions

1
Dissolve the sourdough starter and barley malt extract in lukewarm water inside a large mixing bowl.
2
Add the strong flour, lard, and olive oil, mixing until a stiff, shaggy dough forms.
3
Knead in the fine sea salt and work the dough vigorously for ten minutes until smooth and firm.
4
Roll the stiff dough repeatedly with a rolling pin or pasta roller until silky and laminated.
5
Divide the dough into four equal pieces, then cut each piece in half lengthwise to make eight strips.
6
Tightly roll each strip into an elongated conical spiral, tapering towards the sharp outer tip.
7
Press two spiralled strips together at their thick bases to form an X-shape with four pointed horns.
8
Place the shaped loaves on a baking sheet lined with paper, cover loosely, and prove for ninety minutes.
9
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) with a small metal dish of water on the floor.
10
Bake the loaves for eighteen to twenty minutes until deeply golden brown and crisp at the tips.
11
Cool completely on a wire rack before serving to allow the crust to set crisp.

Chef's tips

Keep the dough stiff and dry during mixing, as excess moisture softens the signature crisp horns. Passing the dough through a pasta roller several times creates the required laminated crumb structure.

Ingredient substitutions

strutto (pure pork lard) → extra virgin olive oil for a vegetarian variation, though the crust will be slightly less brittle
lievito madre (sourdough starter) → 7 g dried active yeast dissolved in the water with a pinch of sugar

Storage

Keep uncovered in a paper bag at room temperature for up to two days to preserve crust crispness.

Reheating

Warm in an oven preheated to 180°C for four minutes to restore the snap of the horns.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding too much water, which causes the intricate horns to lose their shape during baking.
•Skipping the lamination step, resulting in a dense rather than flaky interior texture.
•Under-baking the tips, which leaves the horns chewy rather than snapping crisp.

Serving suggestions

Serve alongside Salama da sugo and buttery mashed potatoes.Pair with Prosciutto di Parma and aged Parmigiano Reggiano.Break off the crisp horns to dip into rich vegetable broths or pasta sauces.