Just Italian Bread Recipes

MAMA D'S ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Add the sugar and yeast to the warm water and let proof.
• Stir in 4 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Beat in the salt and then add enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Knead until as soft and smooth as a bambino's behind. Turn in a greased bowl, cover, and let double in size. (I put it in the oven with the light on - perfect rising temperature.)
• Once doubled, punch down and divide into three. Place back in the bowl, cover, and let rise.
• Once doubled again, punch down and form into three fat "footballs." Grease heavy cookie sheets and sprinkle with corn meal. Place the bread on the sheets, cover with a towel, and let rise.
• Once risen, mist with water and place in a preheated 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) oven. Mist loaves with water and turn occasionally while they bake. Bread is done when golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

MOM'S ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place each loaf seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. With a sharp knife, make 4 shallow slashes across top of each loaf. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

JUST ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Cover and leave in warm place until frothy--approximately 5-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sift 3 cups flour with salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center.
• Pour yeast/water mixture, Agave, oil, and 1 cup extra water into the well.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir until mixture is well-combined and forms a rough ball. Turn out onto a lightly-floured surface, and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Add extra flour as necessary to form a smooth ball.
• Place dough in large, lightly oiled bowl. Brush surface of dough with oil. Cover and leave to rise in warm place for about 1 hour or until well risen.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal.
• Punch down dough and knead for 1 minute. Shape dough into smooth ball and place on prepared baking sheet. Slightly flatten top.
• Using a sharp knife, slash a criss-cross/checkerboard pattern into the top of the dough. Cover and leave to rise in warm place for about 1 hour or until well risen.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Place a shallow baking dish containing 2 cups of water in the bottom of the oven to help bread form a hard crust.
• Brush dough with glaze of water and salt; sprinkle with cornmeal or flour.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until base of bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

CLASSIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Add sugar and yeast to warm water in large mixing bowl and let dissolve.
• Gradually add salt and flour to liquid and mix thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.
• Turn out onto floured surface to knead.
• Knead dough for about 3 minutes.
• Allow dough to rest about 5 minutes.
• While dough is resting, scrape mixing bowl and grease (either spray with Pam or swirl about 1 tablespoon oil up sides of bowl).
• After dough has rested, knead about 3 minutes more, until bouncy and smooth.
• Place dough in bowl and turn over once to grease top.
• Cover with damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
• Punch down.
• Let dough rise again until doubled (optional).
• Punch down and knead briefly.
• Cut dough in half and shape into 2 loaves.
• To shape into loaves: pat each half into a rectangular shape, about 8 x 12 inches.
• Roll dough tightly from short end, pinching end to seal.
• Place pinched side on bottom and fold ends under loaf to make loaf shape.
• Place loaves on baking sheet generously sprinkled with corn meal and slash tops. Let dough rest, covered, an additional 10 minutes.
• For Quick Baking: Brush loaves with cold water. Place on rack in cold oven. Bake at 400 for 35-40, until crust is golden brown and hollow to the touch.
• For Traditional Baking: For a lighter, crustier bread, let the loaves rise another 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 for 15 minutes. Pour 2-3 cups boiling water into a roasting pan and carefully place the pan on the bottom of the oven. Place bread on rack above pan and bake 20 minutes. Turn off oven and allow bread to remain for 5 more minutes.

ITALIAN BREAD RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Mix ½ cup (120 ml) of warm water with yeast and sugar in a separate bowl and let bloom for 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or separate bowl if you don't have one), mix flour, salt, olive oil, and yeast mixture in a bowl until combined.
• Slowly add water to the flour mixture while mixing on the second speed setting (or while mixing by hand if no stand mixer is being used) until a dough forms.
• Knead for 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand.
• Place in a greased bowl and cover with lid or damp towel and place in a room temp oven for 1 hour.
• Flour a work surface, deflate dough, and turn out onto said surface and form into a tight ball.
• Cut the dough ball into two pieces and work into two 12-14 inch (30 cm - 35 cm) loaves and place onto a baking pan dusted with flour.
• Cover dough with plastic wrap or damp towel and place back in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove the baking tray and place in a room temperature place and preheat the oven to 410°F with a baking or pizza stone placed in the middle of the oven.
• Once heated, score loaves with a sharp knife, razor, or bread lame diagonally every three inches.
• Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk till scrambled and brush each loaf with the egg wash generously.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and delicious.
• Cool on a wire rack until fully cooled.
• Serve with olive oil, minced or grated garlic, balsamic vinegar, and grated parmesan cheese.