Pane Francese
LIKE CIABATTA, BUT LONGER (AND WITH A FRENCH ACCENT)
THE STORY
Pane Francese — literally “French bread” in Italian — is a cross-cultural creation with a quirky origin.
As the story goes, an Italian baker in the ‘80s grew frustrated with locals importing French baguettes instead of buying local, artisan bread.
His solution? Stretch a traditional ciabatta (which means “slipper” for its sandal-like shape) to baguette length.
“You want French bread? Here is your French bread!”
The result was a new classic: a loaf combining the elongated elegance of a baguette with the rustic soul of an Italian country bread.
WHY WE MAKE IT
This playful melding of traditions perfectly illustrates how culinary rivalries can spark innovation, yielding recipes that are more than the sum of their parts.
It also speaks to our ethos at Razava Bread Co.
Our head baker, Omri — an immigrant himself — has a soft spot for such stories, believing that the best food is developed at the crossroads of cultures.
But proper ciabatta is oddly hard to find in North American bakeries.
So we decided to do it right, and bring Pane Francese to our lineup of artisan sourdough breads in St. Paul.
FLAVOR PROFILE & CRAFT
Expect a sweet, subtly floral aroma with gentle earthy undertones and a mild tanginess that never overwhelms.
We use two pre-ferments: poolish and natural levain. The poolish develops extra flavor that carries into the final mix, while the levain brings our house sourdough character without pushing the loaf too sour.
We keep the dough high-hydration to achieve the open, glistening crumb and tender texture this bread is known for.
The dough is baked free-form — no pre-shape, no scoring — which creates its signature rustic look.
The crust turns thin and lightly crackly with an untensioned, wrinkled finish; inside, the crumb stays creamy and custardy, full of irregular nooks that soak up fragrant olive oils beautifully.
The result is a loaf that looks homey, tastes extraordinary, and feels thoroughly Razava.
HOW TO EAT IT
Pane Francese is a versatile daily bread that is robust enough for sandwiches and soups, and elegant enough to elevate any meal.
Slab Sandwiches: That long, open crumb gives you surface area and support—perfect for generous builds. Try a cold-cut sub, a muffuletta-style stack (olive salad, marinated artichokes, roasted peppers), or tuna with capers and lemon.
Tear-and-Share Table Bread: Warm it and pass with olive oil and flaky salt, set it next to a pot of beans or soup, or pair with hummus, tapenade, or a white-bean herb spread.
Panini: The crumb soaks; the structure holds. Great combos: mozzarella + pesto, roasted mushrooms + provolone + onions, roasted peppers + tahini, or smoked turkey + pickled peppers + mustard.
HOW TO STORE IT
In Europe, this loaf is bought fresh almost every day. Though if you don’t finish it all on day one, it will still stay delicious for a couple more days when stored properly.
If you’re going to eat it over 3-4 days, storing it in plastic is the move. Just pop it in the toaster for a few minutes to revive the crust.
WHERE TO BUY IT
You can find Pane Francese Wednesday-Sunday in our daily sourdough lineup at our bakery at 685 Grand Avenue in St. Paul.