Fabulous Crusty Italian Loaf Recipe

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Fabulous Crusty Italian Loaf
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Ingredients
8
Count
Nutrition
401
Calories
Total time
220
Minutes
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Ingredients:

  • 1 (1/4 oz) package active dry yeast or 2 1/2 tsp yeast
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water (test as with a baby's bottle)
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast with a quarter cup of the lukewarm water. Pour yeast into a large bowl. Mix in flour, sugar, salt, and remaining lukewarm water and mix in until dough starts to form. If too sticky, add a bit more flour.
  2. Turn out onto flat surface and knead for 6-8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Put dough into an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with a thick towel, and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until doubled in size, or about 1.5-2 hours.
  3. For bread machine, just use to mix and do the first rising of the dough, then remove to shape into loaves and do second rise, following instructions below.
  4. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  5. Remove dough onto a floured surface. Punch down and shape into 2 oblong loaves about a foot long each. If you own a baking stone or unglazed ceramic tiles, dust lightly with cornmeal and put into preheated oven. Put loaves on a peel (large wooden spatula), also lightly dusted with cornmeal, or on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise again for 40 minutes. Loaves will about double in width.
  6. In a small dish, add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water. Slit tops of risen bread 3 or 4 times, making slits that are a quarter of an inch deep. With a brush, paint tops with egg wash. If on a peel, slide loaves onto stone or tile; otherwise put cookie sheet in oven.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F Then lower heat to 400F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, until golden and baked through. To check if it's done, thump the bottom of each loaf; if it sounds hollow, it's done.
  8. Note: Although the original recipe has you bake it at a higher temperature for the first 10 minutes and then lower the temperature, I was able to bake it continuously at 400F for 40 minutes total and mine turned out perfectly. I am including both here so that you can decide, depending on your oven.
  9. Don't wait to let it cool; eat it when it's hot! Delicious!
  10. Tip: For crustier bread, put a shallow baking pan filled with boiling hot water on bottom shelf of oven.
  11. Variation: To make rolls, preheat oven to 400°F After dough rises, remove to a floured surface. Punch down dough and shape into 12-14 rolls. Place on cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise for 20 minutes. Slit each roll once and paint tops with egg wash. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden and baked through.
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Nutrition Facts

Per ServingPer 100 g
Amount Per 1 Serving
Calories 400.91 Kcal (1679 kJ)
Calories from fat 51.64 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5.74g 9%
Cholesterol 40.92mg 14%
Sodium 601.65mg 25%
Potassium 139.51mg 3%
Total Carbs 73.64g 25%
Sugars 1.23g 5%
Dietary Fiber 3.49g 14%
Protein 11.81g 24%
Iron 5mg 28%
Calcium 28.8mg 3%
Amount Per 100 g
Calories 213.75 Kcal (895 kJ)
Calories from fat 27.53 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3.06g 9%
Cholesterol 21.82mg 14%
Sodium 320.77mg 25%
Potassium 74.38mg 3%
Total Carbs 39.26g 25%
Sugars 0.65g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1.86g 14%
Protein 6.29g 24%
Iron 2.6mg 28%
Calcium 15.3mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Find out how many calories should you eat.

Tastes

  • salty
  • savory
  • bitter
  • sweet
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Recipe Tags

Weightwatchers Points

  • 7.8
    Points
  • 10
    PointsPlus

Good Points

  • saturated fat free

Bad Points

  • High in Sodium

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