Description
A delicious and authentic Italian bread recipe that yields a crusty and flavorful loaf perfect for any meal or occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Dough
- 2 cups (480 ml) lukewarm water, ~100°F
- 1 package active dry yeast (2.25 teaspoons)
- 5 cups (600 g) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
For the Topping (Optional)
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Yeast Mixture: Stir the yeast into ½ cup of warm water. Let proof as you measure out the dry ingredients.
- Mix the Dough: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a mixer bowl. Add the yeast mixture, remaining water, and olive oil. Mix until a dough forms, adding more flour as needed. Knead for 7 minutes.
- Proof the Dough: Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1½ hours.
- Shape and Proof: Flatten and shape the dough, then proof for another 30 minutes.
- Bake: Slash the dough, top with optional toppings, then bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes.
Notes
- Bread Flour – I outlined above why I’m a big advocate of bread flour for this particular recipe; you can find it in nearly all grocery stores or can buy it online. If you substitute all-purpose flour, the bread will still turn out, but there will be a definite difference in texture.
- Yeast – This recipe calls for active dry yeast, but you can substitute instant yeast without an issue or any modifications.
- Mixing by Hand – While using a stand mixer with a dough hook makes this easier, you can absolutely use a large mixing bowl and mix and knead entirely by hand.
- Extra Flour – Note that the recipe states you may need to add a little extra flour during the mixing process to get a dough to come together. I find that this varies during different times of the year, as well as what the weather is like. If it’s warmer/more humid, you may need more flour. When it’s colder and drier, I rarely, if ever, need to add more flour.
- Metal Pan – I want to emphasize once more that the pan you place on the bottom rack of the oven to create steam needs to be METAL and not glass. If you don’t already have one, I recommend this one.
- Baking Stone – This is the baking stone that I use, and this is the pizza peel you see pictured above. If you don’t have a baking stone, you can flip a baking sheet upside down, put a sheet of parchment paper on top, and bake the bread on there (you would not need to place the upside-down pan in the oven during preheating).
- Freezing Bread Dough – Once the dough is shaped, it can be placed on a lined baking sheet and placed in the freezer for 12 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in a ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then remove and proceed with step #5 of the recipe. The final rise may take longer since the dough has been cold.
- Freezing Baked Bread – Once the bread has been completely cooled, you can wrap a whole sliced or unsliced loaf in a double layer of plastic wrap, place in a ziploc freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
