Italian Bread
Cook Time Passive Time
30-35mins. 10mins.
Cook Time Passive Time
30-35mins. 10mins.
Ingredients
  • 2cups watervery warm (almost hot) from the tap
  • 2tbsp. yeastdry
  • 1/2tsp. sugar
  • 2tbsp. olive oil(plus more for brushing)
  • 1tbsp. saltKosher
  • 4cups flour(plus more for kneading)
Instructions
Italian Bread
  1. Put water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a mixer, and let sit for about 10 minutes.
  2. With a dough hook and at low speed, add olive oil, salt, and flour.
  3. Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, and is just tacky, not sticky. (You may need to add a bit more flour, you want a firm but not dry dough.)
  4. Let rise in the same bowl until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 and a half hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  6. Turn out onto floured surface.
  7. Divide in half and form into 2 long thin loaves. (punch down into oval, fold the sides into the middle, and then roll tightly into a thin loaf, using your fingers to pull the dough into the middle.)
  8. Let rise until almost doubled. Brush with olive oil.
  9. With a sharp knife, make about 8 diagonal slashes along the top of the loaf.
  10. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until golden and hollow sounding when tapped.
For Bread Bowls:
  1. Divide dough into 5 equal pieces.
  2. Form these into balls, brush with olive oil, slash 3 times on top, and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and hollow sounding when tapped.
  3. To serve, cut off the top, scoop out the inside to within about 1/2 inch of outside crust, and ladle in your favorite soup or stew.