Italian Bread Loaf
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(0 votes)
Difficulty:
moderate
Difficulty
Preparation:
50 min.
Preparation
ready in 16 h. 10 min.
Ready in
Ingredients
for
2
- For the starter
- ½ tsp Dried yeast
- ⅔ cup water
- 3 Tbsps warm milk
- ¼ tsp sugar
- 1 ¼ cups white Bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
- For the dough
- ½ tsp Dried yeast
- 1 cup water
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups white Bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1 ½ tsps salt
Preparation steps
1.
For the starter: sprinkle the yeast into the water and milk in a mixing bowl. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
2.
Stir in the sugar until dissolved, then stir in the flour and mix to a batter. Cover the bowl and leave to rise overnight.
3.
For the dough: sprinkle the yeast into the water in a small bowl. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
4.
Add the yeast and water mixture and the oil to the starter mixture and mix well.
5.
Add the flour and salt and mix to a sticky dough. Beat well for 5 minutes, until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl.
6.
Cover and leave in a warm place to rise for about 3 hours until trebled in size and full of bubbles.
7.
Flour 2 baking trays.
8.
Divide the dough in half and put half on 1 baking tray. Pull and stretch the dough to form a long loaf about 30cm|12" long. Dust again with flour and tuck the edges of the dough underneath the loaf.
9.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
10.
Leave both loaves uncovered in a warm place for 20 minutes until the dough has spread and risen.
11.
Heat the oven to 220°C (200° fan) 425°F gas 7.
12.
Bake for about 30 minutes until risen and golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.
