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Crusty Italian Bread Recipe

Crusty Italian Bread Recipe
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★★★★★

4.9 from 24 reviews

This Crusty Italian Bread recipe yields a golden, crisp crust with a soft, chewy interior. Perfect for sandwiches or as a side to your favorite Italian dishes, this bread is made from simple ingredients and uses a classic rising method for excellent texture and flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F)

Other

  • Cornmeal for dusting

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
  2. Mix Dough: Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until a rough dough forms, ensuring all the flour is incorporated.
  3. Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, which helps develop gluten for good structure.
  4. First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
  5. Shape Loaf: Once risen, punch down the dough to release excess air. Shape it into a round or oval loaf and place it on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal to prevent sticking.
  6. Second Rise: Cover the shaped loaf with a cloth and let it rise again for about 30-45 minutes to develop more volume.
  7. Prepare Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a shallow pan of water on the bottom rack to create steam, which enhances the bread’s crust.
  8. Score Loaf: Just before baking, make a few slashes on the top of the loaf with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape and help the bread expand properly in the oven.
  9. Bake Bread: Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, indicating it is fully baked.
  10. Cool Bread: Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing, which helps set the crumb structure.

Notes

  • For a softer crust, brush the loaf with melted butter immediately after baking.
  • To add flavor, mix in fresh or dried herbs such as rosemary or thyme into the dough before the first rise.

Nutrition

Keywords: Italian bread, crusty bread, homemade bread, yeast bread, rustic bread

Find it online: https://mixitwitjoe.com/crusty-italian-bread-recipe/