Description
Crusty Italian Bread is a rustic homemade bread with a golden crisp crust, chewy interior, and simple pantry ingredients. This easy Italian bread recipe is perfect for serving with pasta, soup, olive oil dips, and family dinners, and it makes a beautiful bakery-style loaf right from your own oven.
Ingredients
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons cornmeal or flour for dusting
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, stir together the warm water, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the top looks foamy.
2. Add the bread flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix until a rough dough forms and no dry flour remains.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
5. Gently punch down the dough and shape it into one oval or long loaf.
6. Place the shaped dough on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal or flour. Cover loosely and let it rise again for 30 to 45 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slash the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
9. Cool the bread on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
A pan of hot water on the lower oven rack helps create extra steam for a crispier crust.
If the dough feels too sticky, add only a little extra flour at a time so the loaf stays light.
Letting the bread cool before slicing helps the inside finish setting and keeps the texture chewy instead of gummy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 440mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg