Altamura Improv

We recently had yet another discussion about Altamura, or at least Durum, breads:

https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/75025/test-post-altamura-image

I had ordered some imported Italian remilled semolina: "Molino Paolo Mariani Semola
Rimacinata". It's expensive and I only got 2 kg.  I wanted to try Altamura-style bread again using the closest I could get to the the "correct", DOP-specified flour, given that I'm in the US and don't have a lot of choice. If it worked out, I would have a point of comparison for other durum flours that I can get more easily and cheaply.

I hoped to follow the DOP schedule, which has a bulk ferment time of 90 minutes, a 30-min rest after scaling/rough shape, and a 15 minute rest after a preform.  The bread is put into the oven right after its final shape.  To get those times, the starter has to be very active and I thought they would be hard to meet.  Little did I know!

I created a new starter from scratch using the semola.  After it seemed to be working and had been refreshed a few times, I wanted to build the levain, but timing needed me to refrigerate a few hours after a refresh. i couldn't get to it until 2 PM the next day.  To my surprise the starter didn't look like it had done much. It still didn't show much activity after a few hours so I put it into my new countertop oven in Proof mode set to 81 deg F (27C). Finally there were some bubbles visible through the side of the container and I did a small refresh.  Time was getting on and I put the dough together around 6 PM. After a 40 min rest, I kneaded the dough on the bench.  Then back into the 81 deg F proofer with several S&Fs over the next several hours. By midnight there was no apparent rising activity and I needed to go to bed so I took the dough out of the proofer and set it on the counter, which would get down to 81 71F/22C overnight. Oh, yes, I thought to measure the pH and both the starter and dough were about 5.5.  What?? No acid?  How can that be?

8 hours later - surprise - the dough had risen to about double and looked like it was slightly past its peak. The pH was still 5.5. Now I'm really puzzled - what has caused this dough to rise? - but I made a preform, covered, and turned on the oven to preheat. 90 minutes later the dough had expanded and looked ready to use.  In fact, there may have been a few signs of distress on the surface. 

I shaped the dough into the classic two-lobed form, sprinkling flour across a band in the middle and pressing down there with my forearm as I've seen in a few videos. The dough was pleasant and  easy to handle.  I baked it for 40 minutes with initial steam at 425 deg F then 400 deg F since I thought the top was browning to fast.

And lo and behold! the loaf looks about right, the crumb is very decent, and the taste is excellent.  That extra flavor hint you get with a good durum loaf shows through.  And as Abe and mwilson insisted, the bread is superb with EEVO.