Simple Italian Bread
Simple, classic Italian bread takes just a few ingredients and a pretty simple process and bakes them into a delicious crusty bread that's perfect for dipping in soups, making crostini and sandwiches, and just snacking on - it's that good!
Equipment
- stand mixer with bread hook optional
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 1 1/2 cups warm water 110F
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 each egg for brushing
- 2 tsp seasoning of your choice for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir it gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until it is foamy. The foam means the yeast is activated.
- In a large mixing bowl, or a stand mixer with dough hook attachment, combine the flour and salt (I use the slowest stir setting for all of this).
- Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil slowly to the flour. Let mix until a rough dough forms, about 10 minutes in the stand mixer and a little longer if kneading by hand. The dough should be smooth and stretchy.
- Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a loaf by folding it over and rolling into a log. Place it on a baking sheet.
- Cover the loaf loosely with a towel and let it rise again for 30-45 minutes, or until it becomes puffy.
- Heat your oven to 400F.
- Whisk the egg. Make diagonal slashes across the top of the bread with a sharp knife and brush the egg over the top of the loaf for a crispy shiny crust. Sprinkle lightly with seasoning of your choice (I used a little garlic salt and Italian seasoning for this loaf).
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaf - it should make a hollow sound.
- Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
This bread goes great served sliced with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. We love it also for bruschetta or garlic bread, to make sandwiches, or to dip in soups!