Vizzio's Italian Cookbook

No stories, just good old-world Italian recipes

Italian Bread

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Italian Bread

Better than french bread. Recipe from Old Stone Oven.
Prep Time 4 hours
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 people

Equipment

  • 1 Baking peel
  • 1 Pizza stone

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pkg Active dry yeast
  • 3 cups Warm water 105-115F
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 7 cups Flour
  • 3 Tbsp Butter

Instructions
 

  • Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water, let stand 5 minutes. Dissolve salt in 2 cups warm water. Put 5 cups of flour in large bowl, add wet ingredients, mix well. Add enough remaining flour to make a workable dough.
  • Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic and has a satiny sheen. Or, using dough hook on electric stand mixer, knead for 7-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl and turn once to grease top. Cover with damp cloth or plastic wrap; place bowl in warm, dust-free place; let rise till double in bulk: 1-1.5 hours.
  • Turn dough out onto board and knead for five minutes more. Divide dough into two pieces and round each piece into a ball. Return to greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover as before and let rise till doubled, approximately 40-60 mins.
  • Separate pieces of dough (they will come apart). Roll each ball into an oblong shape using both hands. Shape into Italian-style loaves. Sprinkle flour on baking peel. Places loaves on peel, cover, let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes).
  • Brush tops with melted butter. Make one long slas, about 1-inch deep nearly the entire length of the loaf (a single-edged razor blade works best). Place pizza stone in oven; pre-heat to 375F. Slide loves from peel onto the stone. Bake for 50-60 minutes on stone until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped.

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