Description
Chleb Pradnicki PGI is a brown bread made from a paste of rye flour and wheat flour, cooked potatoes or potato flakes, rye bran, fresh yeast, caraway, salt and water.
Production Area
Chleb Pradnicki PGI is produced within the administrative boundaries of the city of Cracow, in Lesser Poland Voivodship.
Production Method
The ingredients are kneaded together by traditional methods and the dough is then divided and each piece is shaped by hand, thereby obtaining slightly different shaped forms. The final proving of the shaped pieces takes place in traditional baskets, after which the forms are moistened with water and sprinkled with rye bran. When the bread is to be sold in pieces it cannot be cut until it has been left to cool for at least four hours. All of the production stages must take place within the identified geographical area.
Appearance and Flavour
Chleb Pradnicki PGI can be oval or round. The crust is 4-6 mm thick and is brown to dark brown in colour. Its surface is homogeneous or has visible cracks and is covered with a thin layer of rye bran. On cutting the bread has a light colour and is uniformly porous. The crumb, if subjected to light pressure, should return to its original state without damage to the structure. The bread has the characteristic taste and smell of bread made with fermented rye.
History
The name Chleb pradnicki is derived from the names of several villages which had mills on the Pradnik stream. The product is first mentioned in 1421, when Albert, Bishop of Cracow, granted his cook, Swietoslaw Skowronek, two zhrebie (units of surface measurement) of land in Pradnik. In exchange, the inhabitants of that land were made to bake bread for the bishop's table and from 1496, thanks to a royal privilege, the bakers of rye bread could sell in Cracow once a week at the Tuesday market. The sale of rye bread baked outside the city was strictly limited and it was only in the July of 1785 that this restriction was lifted.
Gastronomy
Chleb Pradnicki PGI should be stored in a cool dry place, where it can be kept for up to a week. Once removed from the oven it continues to 'mature', acquiring its full flavour and aroma on the second day after baking.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Chleb Pradnicki PGI in oval and round forms. It is sold fresh and may be without packaging, and each whole loaf weighing 4,5 kg has a band imprinted with the correct label wrapped around it. Bread sold as a ½ or ¼ loaf is packed in foil or paper bags to which the label is affixed. Finally, bread weighing over 4,5 kg (baked for special occasions) features a band similar to that used in the case of 4,5 kg loaves.
Distinctive Features
Chleb Pradnicki PGI is characterised by its size, thick crust and long-lasting freshness. The loaves continue to 'mature' for a day after baking and can remain fresh for up to week.
