Description
A simple and delicious recipe for making crusty Italian bread at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F)
- Cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until a rough dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- 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.
- Once risen, punch down the dough and shape it into a round or oval loaf. Place it on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.
- Cover the shaped loaf with a cloth and let it rise again for about 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a shallow pan of water on the bottom rack to create steam.
- Just before baking, make a few slashes on the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.
- Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- For a crustier bread, you can increase the steam in the oven by adding more water to the shallow pan.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing for the best texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 0.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg