What a great easy, yummy, wonderful Italian bread. It doesn’t take much time, effort or ingredients to get there, just a little flour, yeast, water, salt sugar and oil.
I wasn’t expecting so much from such a simple, easy recipe, and I was delighted! It’s got the perfect crust, crunchy with a slight chewiness and is so incredibly soft and delightful on the inside. And what a pretty loaf it makes!
Choose this crusty, chewy bread to serve with soup, stew, or pasta. This also makes excellent croutons, grilled cheese sandwiches, toast and French toast. And of course, this bread is excellent out of the oven just eating slice after slice plain or slathered with butter or cream cheese.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Water - 75°– 85°F or 24°– 30°C
- 1 1/2 tsp Oil
- 3 cups Bread flour
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Active dry yeast
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Instructions
- Attach the kneading blade in the bread pan.
- Place ingredients into the bread pan following the recipe order (or following the order and method specified in the manual of your Bread Maker – mine is: FIRST, liquid ingredients; SECOND, dry ingredients; LAST, yeast). Note: With a finger or a knife, make a small indentation in the middle of the flour. Add yeast to indentation, making sure it does not come into contact with the liquid ingredients.
- Carefully insert bread pan into Bread Maker and gently close the lid.
- Select the “French” bread setting. If available, choose crust colour (I usually set Medium, but if you prefer set Light or Dark) and loaf size (1.5 LB) and Press the Start button. With this bread, it is safe to use the timer function.
- It will mix and bake the bread. When the baking cycle is complete, press the stop button and unplug the breadmaker.
- Open the lid and while using Oven Mitt, firmly grasp the bread pan handle and gently pull the pan straight up and out of the machine. CAUTION: The Bread Maker and pan may be very hot! Always handle with care.
- Use non-stick Spatula to gently loosen the sides of the bread from the pan.
- Turn bread pan upside down onto a Wire Cooling Rack or clean cooking surface and gently shake until bread falls out onto rack.
- Cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- To make perfect slices every time use a Bread Slicer with an Electric Knife.
Notes
- If it’s too dry, add lukewarm liquid a teaspoon at a time until it looks right.
- If it looks too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks right.
- If there is flour on the sides of the pan, use a Silicone Spatula to wipe the flour from the pan.
Weather can affect your ingredients If you live in a moist climate, chances are you’ll need at least the recommended amount of flour, maybe even 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more. Bread dough should be sticky, but still manageable, especially after the first rise. While you’re kneading, the dough should come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl, leaving the bowl mostly clean. I usually aim to have the very bottom of the dough still attached to the bowl. Try not to add too much flour because your bread will be denser. When you pick the dough up, some will stick to your fingers. After the first rise, it will be easier to handle!
You may also make this bread without the aid of a bread machine, or make the dough in a bread machine, and bake it in the oven. Simply make the dough using your usual method (by hand, electric mixer or bread machine); allow it to rise until puffy, then shape it into a log; and place it in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch (21.5 x 11.5 cm) bread pan. Allow the loaf to rise, covered, until it's crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan. If you want, brush the risen loaf with the beaten egg white, and sprinkle it with seeds. Bake it in a preheated 350°F/175°C oven for 35 minutes, or until its interior temperature registers 190°F/88°C on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven, remove it from the pan, and cool it on a wire rack.
How can you tell if the bread is fully baked? I like to use a food thermometer. Mine is digital, so it’s very easy to use. Fully cooked bread will be 190-200°F/88-93°C. Bread recipes that include milk will need to cook until 200°F/93°C, but without you can take it out once it reaches 190°F/88°C. The top will be golden brown.
Also check:
- Everything You Need to Know to Start Baking Awesome Bread Using a Bread Maker
- Fast2eat Foolproof (Bread maker) Bread Recipes
* “Long-term dietary intake of gluten was not associated with risk of coronary heart disease. However, the avoidance of gluten may result in reduced consumption of beneficial whole grains, which may affect cardiovascular risk. The promotion of gluten-free diets among people without celiac disease should not be encouraged.” (Source: http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1892)
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
Read bread-making further information in my book
Try Bread machine recipes from my Cookbook
130 delicious recipes, tips and hints, and the basic steps on making bread, cake, pizza, and pasta using a bread machine.
You don’t need a bread machine to make those recipes. Suppose your bread maker is broken. Or you do not have room in your kitchen for another gadget but want to make my recipes. There is a guide to convert the bread machine recipes to manual recipes.
Or if you have favourite recipes your gramma used to make, there is also a guide to convert it and make using a bread machine.
How about fresh homemade pasta. There is also a complete guide with suggestions to be creative with your pasta.
Disclosure: “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”
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