French Bread

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Sift the dry ingredients, stir them into
the yeast mixture, and work the dough with your hands until it will absorb
no more flour. Knead the dough on a slightly floured board until it is no
longer sticky. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover, and let rise
until doubled. Then punch it down and turn it out onto a floured board.
Divide into 2 parts. Shape each piece into a long, narrow loaf. Place the
loaves on a greased cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal,
cover, and let rise again (until doubled in size). Brush tops with
egg-white glaze (1 egg white slightly beaten with 1 Tablespoon of water)
and bake in a 400 degree over for 35 to 40 minutes. Brush again with glaze
about 5 minutes before loaves are done. Makes 2 small loaves or 1 large
one.

[Optional: for those with HOT ovens: bake bread at 400 degrees for first
15 minutes then reduce temperature to 350 degrees for next 20-25 minutes.]

DAK & WELBILT Breadmaker owners/users: Put 2 cups of flour in breadmaker,
add 1 Tablespoon of fast rising yeast, add another 2 cups of flour, the
sugar, salt and increase the warm water to 1-3/4 Cups and add to the
breadmaker and select French Bread – Manual. Push Start. Let dough be
kneaded by breadmaker and leave it in the breadmaker for the first rising
(1 hour) – just when the breadmaker begins to knead the bread again, take
it out and punch it down onto a lightly floured board. Follow recipe above
from “divide into 2 parts” etc.

(Yes, I know the breadmaker says only 3.5 cups of flour but if you increase
the warm water to 1-3/4 cups it can handle the kneading and it does a great
job!)