The word ‘epi’ in French refers to a stalk or ‘ear’ of wheat, which is how this bread got its name since the final product resembles a stylized ear of wheat. It is made out our sweet dough, and it is initially moulded into the shape of a baguette. These breads rise in lightly floured cloth couches, which leave a light dusting of flour on their surface. Before being loaded into the oven our skilled bakers quickly cut the baguette along the sides, creating a decorative pull-apart loaf. The crumb is airy and soft, with crunchy tips on the individual ‘grains’ and the flavor is mild and yeasty.
Suggested Uses: The little ears on the Pain Epi can be torn off to become individual servings, which makes it nice for sharing at the dinner table. The individual rolls can then be used to sop up the juices from your dinner, eaten with olive oil and vinegar, or even used to make little