Italian Bread
Flaky crust on the outside, soft on the inside, this Italian bread is everything you want homemade bread to be and more.
Yield 1 large loaf
Ingredients
- 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons Red Star Active Dry Yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup water (warm, 110-115°F)
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, sugar and warm water. Let stand 5 minutes until yeast is foamy.
- Add 2 cups flour, olive oil and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or with a dough hook on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand 10 minutes, adding just enough of the remaining flour until a soft, smooth and elastic dough forms; OR, increase dough hook speed to medium and knead dough in stand mixer 5 minutes, adding just enough of the remaining flour until a soft, smooth and elastic dough forms.
- Shape dough into a ball; place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise 1 hour until doubled.
- Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or lightly grease the surface with oil or cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, punch down dough, then carefully shape into a batard/torpedo about 12 inches long. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let rise another 20 minutes until puffy.
- Use a serrated knife to make a few 1/4-inch deep slits in the surface of the loaf. Bake loaf for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.
Notes
Recipe by Stephanie Wise.
