05/15/2026
Many people ask me about that piece of dough I keep rolling into a spiral, shaping into a little flower, and constantly cutting open to examine inside.
That is Pasta Madre, also known as Lievito Madre. A stiff sourdough starter with only about 40–45% hydration.
What makes it unique is its ability to ferment and raise rich, heavy doughs. Imagine this: a 1 kg (2.2 lb) panettone may contain only around 290 g (10 oz) of total flour, including the flour inside the Lievito Madre itself. The rest is butter, egg yolks, sugar, candied fruit, dried fruit, chocolate, and other enrichments. And yet this unique starter is capable of creating that incredible web-like open structure, delicate texture, and deeply complex aroma.
But it’s not used only for panettone. Lievito Madre is also wonderful for other sweet enriched doughs — brioche, buns, sweet rolls, and more. For this starter, those doughs are almost “easy work.”
Yes, bread can be made with Lievito Madre too, but personally, I think traditional naturally fermented sourdough starters already do an amazing job for bread. Lievito Madre truly shines in enriched doughs.
However, caring for it is far from simple.
The challenge is not just in the feeding schedule or maintenance itself, but in understanding what the starter needs. Its performance depends on the delicate balance between lactic acidity, acetic acidity, and yeast activity.
You need to understand when it needs warmth, when it benefits from cooler temperatures, when it needs more food, less water, or a different fermentation rhythm. It’s a complex but fascinating science that I’m still studying myself.
I even bought a special little “home” for it, and I buy special flour from its homeland — Italy.
And you’ve probably already noticed that in the near future I’ll be introducing more sweet baked goods made with Lievito Madre to the menu. And yes… panettone too. I’m deeply studying it now, and you’ll have the chance to taste that journey along the way.
If you’d like to learn more about Lievito Madre, ask me your questions
