Italian Bread Ii Recipes

Steps:

• Place the water and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and allow the yeast to bloom for about 5 minutes. Using a dough hook attachment, add the flour and sugar to the water and mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Drizzle the oil and salt into the dough and beat on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a smooth, firm, elastic dough is formed.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to proof in a warm, draft-free place for 11/2 hours or until doubled in size. Remove the plastic wrap, punch down and flatten the rounded dough with the heel of your hand. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well after each roll. The dough should be elongated and oval-shaped, with tapered and rounded (not pointed) ends.
• Preheat the oven lined with a pizza stone to 425 degrees F. Alternately, an inverted baking sheet may be used in place of a pizza stone.
• Place the dough on a baker's peel heavily dusted with semolina flour, or cornmeal, or alternately on an inverted baking sheet. Allow the dough to proof, loosely covered with a damp towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Brush the dough with the egg white and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score 3 (1/4-inch deep) slashes across the top of the dough at a 45 degree angle.
• Spray the dough generously with water from a water bottle and place in the oven on the baking stone. Immediately close the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Open the oven door and spray the dough again with the water bottle. Close the oven door and bake for an additional 3 minutes before spraying the dough for a third time (the spraying of the dough will ensure a crisp golden brown crust). Bake the dough for 45 minutes, or until a hollow thud is heard when the bread is whacked with the bowl of a wooden spoon. Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.

Steps:

• In large bowl thoroughly mix 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast.
• Add butter.
• Gradually add warm water to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes with mixer at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Add 3/4 cup flour.
• Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes).
• Cover dough with plastic wrap and then a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• To make loaves: Divide dough in half.
• Roll each half into a 15x10 inch rectangle.
• Starting at wide side, roll up tightly; pinch seam to seal.
• Taper ends by rolling gently back and forth.
• To make rolls: Divide dough into 6 equal pieces.
• Roll each piece into a rectangle 8x5 inches.
• Starting with wide side, roll up tightly; pinch seam to seal.
• Taper ends.
• Place the shaped dough seam side down on greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Brush dough with oil.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-24 hours.
• When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and uncover carefully.
• Let dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Make 3 or 4 diagonal slits in dough with a sharp knife or razor blade.
• Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes for rolls, 20 minutes for loaves.
• Remove from oven and brush with egg white beaten with cold water.
• Return to oven; bake 5-10 minutes longer, or until golden.
• **Note: I sometimes add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (adjust amounts to your preferences) of dried oregano OR basil OR rosemary to the dry ingredients.
• Sometimes I also add 1 bulb (head) of roasted garlic cloves to the dry ingredients.
• To roast garlic: Peel as much of the outer skin away as possible, leaving the cloves unpeeled and the head intact (optional: trim the tips of the cloves off to expose the"meat" to the oil).
• Place head (s) in covered casserole or on a piece of heavy aluminum foil.
• Drizzle with olive oil, and bake covered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (mine takes over an hour in a terra-cotta garlic baker), or until cloves are soft and can be squeezed easily out of their skins.
• Let roasted garlic cool before adding to the flour for the bread.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place each loaf seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across top of each loaf.
• Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• Stir the yeast into lukewarm water and set aside.
• Combine 5 cups flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the yeast mixture, remaining water and olive oil. Using a dough hook attachment, mix on lowest speed of electric mixer (stir setting on a KitchenAid) until a dough starts to form, adding more flour as needed. Knead on low speed (2 on a KitchenAid) for 7 minutes. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and need by hand for 1 to 2 minutes, or until a smooth, firm, elastic dough is formed.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to proof in a warm place for 1½ hours or until doubled in size. I usually put mine in a SLIGHTLY warmed oven.
• Remove the plastic wrap, punch down and flatten the rounded dough with the heel of your hand. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well after each roll.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F and place an empty baking pan on bottom rack. This will be used later to create steam.
• Place the dough on a inverted baking sheet that has been dusted with flour. Cover with a towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Brush the dough with the egg white, and then slash the dough lengthwise about 1/4-inch deep in three spots.
• Place the pan of dough on the top rack, and pour a large cup of water into the warmed baking pan on the bottom rack.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until a hollow thud is heard when tapping the bottom of the bread. Allow the bread to cool before slicing.

Steps:

• Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
• Select the Medium Crust and Basic/White Bread settings, and press Start.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place each loaf seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. With a sharp knife, make 4 shallow slashes across top of each loaf. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• Place flour, brown sugar, warm water, salt, olive oil and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
• Select dough cycle; press Start.
• Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Form dough into two loaves.
• Place the loaves seam side down on a cutting board generously sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise, until doubled in volume about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water.
• Brush the risen loaves with egg mixture.
• Make a single long, quick cut down the center of the loaves with a sharp knife.
• Gently shake the cutting board to make sure that the loaves are not sticking.
• If they stick, use a spatula or pastry knife to loosen.
• Slide the loaves onto a baking sheet with one quick but careful motion.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Steps:

• Combine yeast, sugar and 1 c.
• warm water in a large bowl.
• Stir until dissolved.
• Set aside in a warm place for 1/2 hr.
• When mixture starts to bubble slightly, add butter, salt and remaining 3/4 warm water.
• Add flour 1 c at a time, beating vigorously w/ a wooden spoon.
• Continue until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn out unto a generously floured board.
• (Dough will be sticky) Gently fold in remaining flour, kneading until the dough begins to become smooth and elastic.
• Knead for 10 minutes.
• Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Divide dough in two and roll each into a rectangle 12 x 8 inches.
• Roll up tightly lengthwise, pinching seams.
• Butter two baking sheet and sprinkle w/ cornmeal.
• Place loaves on sheets and let rise in a warm draft-free place until double (1-1 1/2 hrs) Preheat oven to 425F.
• Brush loaves w/ beaten egg while.
• Bake 40 minutes.

Steps:

• Add all ingredients except egg, 1 tablespoon water, sesame seeds, and cornmeal into your bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the dough cycle.
• Divide dough into 2 parts and form into loaves. Sprinkle cornmeal on greased baking sheet. Place loaves on pan seam side down. Brush top of loaves with water. Let rise til double, about 50 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush loaves with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Make 4 cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of log. Place a pan of hot water in bottom of oven. Bake bread for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. To make a nice crusty bread, bake bread in the afternoon and pop into oven again for 5 minutes before meal. Makes a very crusty bread! You would be surprised how much better it is if you heat it that last 5 minutes. Try it. I learned this in a bread machine class!

Steps:

• Mix ½ cup (120 ml) of warm water with yeast and sugar in a separate bowl and let bloom for 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or separate bowl if you don't have one), mix flour, salt, olive oil, and yeast mixture in a bowl until combined.
• Slowly add water to the flour mixture while mixing on the second speed setting (or while mixing by hand if no stand mixer is being used) until a dough forms.
• Knead for 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand.
• Place in a greased bowl and cover with lid or damp towel and place in a room temp oven for 1 hour.
• Flour a work surface, deflate dough, and turn out onto said surface and form into a tight ball.
• Cut the dough ball into two pieces and work into two 12-14 inch (30 cm - 35 cm) loaves and place onto a baking pan dusted with flour.
• Cover dough with plastic wrap or damp towel and place back in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove the baking tray and place in a room temperature place and preheat the oven to 410°F with a baking or pizza stone placed in the middle of the oven.
• Once heated, score loaves with a sharp knife, razor, or bread lame diagonally every three inches.
• Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk till scrambled and brush each loaf with the egg wash generously.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and delicious.
• Cool on a wire rack until fully cooled.
• Serve with olive oil, minced or grated garlic, balsamic vinegar, and grated parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• Add all ingredients except egg, 1 tablespoon water, sesame seeds, and cornmeal into your bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the dough cycle.
• Divide dough into 2 parts and form into loaves. Sprinkle cornmeal on greased baking sheet. Place loaves on pan seam side down. Brush top of loaves with water. Let rise til double, about 50 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush loaves with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Make 4 cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of log. Place a pan of hot water in bottom of oven. Bake bread for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. To make a nice crusty bread, bake bread in the afternoon and pop into oven again for 5 minutes before meal. Makes a very crusty bread! You would be surprised how much better it is if you heat it that last 5 minutes. Try it. I learned this in a bread machine class!