Homemade Italian Bread
Warm Italian bread from the oven is nothing short of good old fashioned comfort food!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoonsactive dry yeast (2 packets)
- ½ cupwarm water (110f)
- ½ teaspoongranulated sugar
- 2 cupshot water (hot to the touch, not boiling (115-120f))
- 3 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
- 1 tablespoonsalt
- ½ cupvegetable oil
- 5 cupsall-purpose flour (add more if needed to get to a pliable dough)
- 1 largeegg white (for brushing on loaves)
Directions
- 1
Dissolve yeast, 1/2 cup warm water (110F), and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.
- 2
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine 2 cups hot water (115-120F), 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, the salt, and the oil. Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture in this large bowl/mixer and mix well. Stir in yeast mixture.
- 3
Add 2 – 3 cups more flour and mix until well blended. (At this point your dough will still be quite sticky). Leave in bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour. (If using a mixer, remove the bowl from the mixer and cover. Otherwise your paddle attachment or dough hook will get covered in dough when it rises). NO KNEADING IS REQUIRED.
- 4
After the rise, if the dough is too sticky to handle, add more flour until its workable. For some people this can be up to a cup or more! Just don't dry out the dough. Add by quarter cupfuls until its workable.
- 5
Divide dough into 2 (or 3 if you want smaller loaves) pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface into the length desired then roll up lengthwise like a jelly roll. If it's still too sticky, add more flour until it's workable but not dry.
- 6
Put on a greased cookie sheet, sealed side down, and tuck the ends under. Slash the top diagonally across the top every couple of inches with a sharp knife.
- 7
Cover and let loaves rise 30 more minutes.
- 8
While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 9
Whisk the egg white and brush over the top of loaves.
- 10
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.