Italian Bread

Ingredients

• 600 g bread flour
• 5 cup bread flour
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
• 7 g active dry yeast
• 400 g water
• 1.75 cup water
• 12 g salt
• 2 tsp salt
• olive oil

Method

Dissolve 7 g of active dry yeast in 50 ml of warm water (around 40°C) and leave for five minutes until foamy. This cloudiness signals the yeast is viable and ready to ferment. Meanwhile, weigh 600 g of bread-flour into a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture to the flour along with the remaining 350 g of water (so 400 g total) and 12 g of salt. Mix by hand or machine until no dry flour remains and the dough comes together as a shaggy mass with a slightly tacky surface — it should feel alive and elastic, not stiff. This is your window into dough-making: the flour needs enough water to hydrate fully, but not so much that the dough tears. You're aiming for 67% hydration, which gives Italian bread its open crumb structure.

Dough-rest for fifteen minutes without kneading. This autolyse period allows the flour to fully absorb water and begins dough-development naturally. After the rest, knead for eight to ten minutes — either by hand with rhythmic folding motions or in a stand mixer on low speed — until the dough becomes smooth and springs back when poked. The gluten network you're building here is what traps gas during fermentation and creates structure. Bulk ferment covered at room temperature for one hour, or until the dough has visibly risen and dimples remain when you press it gently with a floured finger.

Divide the dough in half and pre-shape each half into a loose round. Rest uncovered for twenty minutes — this intermediate proof prevents the gluten from tearing when you final-shape. Shape each piece into an oblong loaf by folding the far edge towards you, rolling it tightly, and sealing the seam with the heel of your hand. The seam goes underneath. Place both loaves seam-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet or banneton, cover, and proof for sixty minutes until they've increased visibly in volume and hold a slight indent when prodded.

Preheat the oven to 220°C thirty minutes before baking. Using a sharp knife or lame, score each loaf with a single diagonal slash along its length — this controls where the bread expands and encourages oven-spring. Bake for thirty to thirty-five minutes until the crust is deep golden and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack for at least thirty minutes before slicing; the crumb continues to set as it cools.