Italian Bread

• servings: 1 serving
• active time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) Red Star active dry yeast*

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, sugar and warm water (about 110°F)

Let stand 5 to 10 minutes or until yeast is foamy.

Add 2 cups flour, olive oil and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or with a dough hook on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand 10 minutes, adding just enough of the remaining flour until a soft, smooth and elastic dough forms; OR, increase dough hook speed to medium and knead dough in stand mixer 5 minutes, adding just enough of the remaining flour until a soft, smooth and elastic dough forms.

Shape dough into a ball; place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise 1 hour until doubled.

Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, a silicone mat or lightly grease the surface with oil or cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, punch down dough, then carefully shape into a batard/torpedo about 12 inches long. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let rise another 20 to 30 minutes until puffy.

Use a bread lame or serrated knife to make a few 1/4-inch deep slits in the surface of the loaf. Bake loaf 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 89
• Total Fat: 2 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 146.6 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 15.4 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g
• Total Sugars: 0.3 g
• Protein: 2.2 g