Corsican Migliacci

Soak the leaves. Cover the food-grade dried chestnut leaves with lukewarm potable water and soak until flexible. Use Large clean basin. Time: 480 minutes soaking. Temperature or condition: lukewarm water. Soaking makes dry leaves flexible enough to support the galettes. Use only food-grade leaves from a traceable source; do not use unknown roadside or chemically treated leaves. The leaves are fully pliable, clean-smelling and can bend without cracking.

Mix the cheese dough. Mix the flour, yeast, whey, whole eggs, olive oil and salt to a soft dough, then incorporate 350 g drained fresh Corsican sheep cheese without fully puréeing it. Use Large mixing bowl. Time: 20 minutes. Temperature or condition: warm room. The cheese enriches the fermented dough while retaining visible curds. Keep the fresh cheese refrigerated until mixing. The dough is cohesive and soft with small cheese pieces distributed throughout, not a runny batter.

Proof during the soak. While the leaves continue soaking, cover the dough and proof for 240 minutes; this proof overlaps the final four hours of the leaf soak. Use Covered bowl. Time: 240 minutes concurrent proofing. Temperature or condition: warm room. The long proof gives the heavy cheese dough enough time to aerate. Keep the dough in a controlled warm room, not on an uncontrolled hot surface. The dough is visibly aerated and expanded, with a fermented aroma and a soft extensible texture.

Shape and top. Drain and pat the leaves dry, divide the dough into nine equal portions, place each on two overlapping leaves and flatten to about 16 cm; distribute the remaining 350 g cheese over the tops and brush with egg yolk. Use Scale, trays and pastry brush. Time: 25 minutes. Temperature or condition: room temperature. Equal size supports a predictable hot bake. Keep raw egg wash away from ready-to-eat foods and discard excess. All nine galettes are similar in diameter and thickness, the topping is evenly divided, and the leaves lie flat beneath them.

Bake two batches. Bake in two batches in a fully heated 240 °C oven until the tops are browned and the crumb is fully cooked. Use Oven and baking trays. Heat: 240 °C oven. Time: 15 minutes per batch; 2 sequential batches. Temperature or condition: 240 °C. High heat gives the characteristic browned cheese surface while setting the enriched crumb quickly. Use oven gloves and keep leaves from contacting exposed heating elements. The cheese is browned in patches, the edges are set and the centre crumb is fully cooked with no wet dough line.

Cool the galettes. Transfer the baked migliacci to racks and cool before stacking or wrapping. Use Wire racks. Time: 20 minutes cooling. Temperature or condition: cooling. Cooling prevents compression and condensation. Fresh-cheese breads are perishable; refrigerate if not eaten promptly. The crumb has set, steam no longer escapes strongly and the bases are dry rather than wet.