Italian Bread

Italian Bread

from girlversusdough.com
95 min

Easy, homemade classic Italian bread with a chewy crust and soft interior. Perfect for sandwiches, toast, breakfast bakes and more!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) Red Star active dry yeast*
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. 1

    In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, sugar and warm water (about 110°F)

  2. 2

    Let stand 5 to 10 minutes or until yeast is foamy.

  3. 3

    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.

  4. 4

    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.

  5. 5

    Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, 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 to 30 minutes until puffy.

  6. 6

    Use a bread lame or serrated knife to make a few 1/4-inch deep slits in the surface of the loaf. Bake loaf 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.