Description
Crusty Italian Bread is a classic artisan loaf with a crunchy crust and soft, airy interior. Perfect for sandwiches, toast, or served alongside soups and salads.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1 ⅓ cups warm water (about 110°F)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until frothy.
- Add olive oil, salt, and bread flour gradually, mixing until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Punch down the dough and shape it into a loaf. Place on a baking sheet.
- Let the shaped dough rise for 30 more minutes.
- Bake for 30 minutes until crusty and golden brown. Let cool before slicing.
Notes
For a better crust, place a pan of hot water in the oven while baking to create steam.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 165 kcal
- Sugar: 0.8 g
- Sodium: 390 mg
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Crusty Italian Bread, homemade bread, artisan bread, baking recipes, Italian recipes