Rustic Italian Bread
Takes about 10 minutes to prepare, about 3 hours til it’s ready…
1 cup cold water heated to 120-130* F
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Cups Bread Flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 package or 2 teaspoons Dry Active Yeast
Cornmeal
1 egg white, beatenLightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast; mix well. Add warm water and oil; mix well. Turn dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Place dough in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and a cloth towel. Let rise in a warm place (80-85*) for 30-40 minutes.
Sprinkle cookie sheet with cornmeal. Punch down dough. Cover dough with inverted bowl and allow it to rest for 15 minutes on the counter.
Shape the dough into a baguette-shaped loaf (long than wide and oval) about 12 inches long. Place the dough on the cornmeal covered cookie cheet. Cover, let rise in a warm place for 35-40 minutes or until doubled in size.
Heat the oven to 375*. With a sharp knife make 1 deep length-wise slash in the top of the loaf. Brush loaf with eggwhite. Bake at 375* 25-35 minutes, or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
Set machine on dough setting.
When dough cycle is finished, remove dough and allow to rest on counter under a bowl for 15 minutes. Proceed as above.
