Italian Bread
Bring the essence of rustic Italian cooking to your kitchen with this classic Italian Bread recipe! Made from simple pantry staples—like all-purpose flour, olive oil, and active dry yeast—this bread boasts a perfectly golden, crisp crust and a soft, airy interior that’s tailor-made for soaking up rich sauces or serving alongside hearty soups. With just 20 minutes of prep time and a few easy steps, you'll master the art of kneading and shaping dough, resulting in a loaf that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. Whether you're serving it fresh from the oven at a family meal or using it for gourmet sandwiches, this traditional Italian bread will take your baking game to the next level. Perfectly simple yet irresistibly satisfying, it’s a must-try for any home baker.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 480 grams All-purpose flour
- 350 milliliters Warm water (110°F/45°C)
- 7 grams Active dry yeast
- 8 grams Sugar
- 10 grams Salt
- 15 milliliters Olive oil
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine 100 milliliters of warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating that the yeast is activated.
Add the remaining warm water, olive oil, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir well to combine.
Gradually add the all-purpose flour, one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Once the mixture becomes too thick to stir, transfer it to a floured surface.
Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle it lightly with additional flour as necessary.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it once to coat the surface. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough to release air and transfer it to a floured surface. Shape the dough into an elongated loaf or divide it into two smaller loaves.
Place the shaped dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover it loosely with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes to rise slightly.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Just before baking, use a sharp knife to score the top of the loaf with 2-3 shallow diagonal cuts.
Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
166 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 1.6 g | 2% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0.2 g | 1% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 324 mg | 14% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 32.6 g | 12% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.2 g | 4% | |
| Total Sugars | 0.8 g | ||
| Protein | 4.5 g | 9% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 5 mg | 0% | |
| Iron | 1.5 mg | 8% | |
| Potassium | 45 mg | 1% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
