Italian Bread

• porsjoner: 1 serving
• aktiv tid: 2 hours
• total tid: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredienser

1 and 1/4 c very warm water

1 packet active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

4 cups all purpose unbleached flour

1 & 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

water for brushing/spraying

Fremgangsmåte

In the bowl of the mixer, combine the water, yeast and sugar - stir lightly with a fork. It need not be totally combined. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes the mixtures should look a bit bubbly. Add 3 cups of flour and the salt.

Fit the mixer with the dough hook and at low speed, mix in the flour and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

When the mixture is uniform, set the mixer to medium low and beat for 2 minutes.

Turn off the mixer, and allow the mixture to rest for 20 minutes.

After twenty minutes, turn the mixer back to low, and add the remaining cup of flour, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until completely incorporated each time. If, after a couple of additions of flour, the dough is no longer sticking to the bowl, you need not add any additional flour. The dough should be fairly smooth at this point, and not sticking to the sides of the bowl at all - if it is still wet and shaggy, you need to add a bit more flour - another 1/4 cup should do it.

Once you have a fairly smooth dough that has come away from the sides of the bowl, set the mixer to medium speed, and knead for 8 minutes. This is the equivalent of about 20 minutes of kneading by hand, which is longer than I would knead a single loaf of sandwich type bread - it helps ensure a nice chewy texture though.

Remove the dough from the bowl, and oil the bowl liberally, to prevent sticking. Put the dough back in, turn it a few times to coat it completely and cover with a piece of plastic wrap.

Allow to rise for an hour, until doubled in size.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into an oblong loaf, like this:

Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper, and sprinkle it generously with cornmeal.

Place the loaf in the middle of the baking sheet, and spray or brush lightly with water. I use a small spray bottle for this, as it is quicker and easier - you are going to do it a couple times during baking as well.

Allow to rise for about 40.

After 40 minutes of rising time, preheat the oven to 400º, allowing it to come fully up to that temperature. Place a flat pan with sides a couple inches high on the bottom rack, and fill with boiling water.

Spray the bread with water again, making sure to wet the entire outside. Use a razor blade or very sharp knife to make diagonal slashes along the top of the loaf.

Place the sheet pan in the oven, on the upper rack.

Total baking time is about 30 minutes - spray the loaf with water after 10 minutes, and again 10 minutes after that. You can check for doneness with an instant read thermometer if you like - it will read right around 200 when the bread is done, or bake it until it is well browned all over, and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Remove to cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes - the bread can be cooled fully and wrapped to eat later, or you can slice it up and dive right in.