Description
Bake bakery-style Italian bread at home with this simple recipe. You get a golden, crunchy crust and a soft, chewy interior using basic pantry ingredients. This recipe is perfect for beginners and great for dipping or making sandwiches.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (about 105-115°F)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the bowl
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and sugar.
- In a separate small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Pour the yeast mixture and the olive oil into the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it over to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
- Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. This is your first rise.
- Gently punch down the risen dough. Shape it into a loaf or two smaller loaves.
- Place the shaped loaf(ves) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in a prepared loaf pan. Cover loosely.
- Let the dough rise again for 30 to 45 minutes, or until puffy. This is your second rise.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a shallow pan on the bottom rack to create steam later.
- Just before baking, lightly brush the top of the loaf with water. Score the top of the bread with a sharp knife if desired.
- Carefully pour about 1/2 cup of hot water into the shallow pan on the bottom rack to create steam. Quickly close the oven door.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- For an extra crispy crust, spray the sides of the oven with water a couple of times during the first 10 minutes of baking.
- If you are making two smaller loaves instead of one large one, reduce the final baking time by about 5 minutes.
- This bread is wonderful served warm with olive oil for dipping.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 0.3
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0