Italian Bread

Makes 1 Large or 2 Small Loaves

Now that you’ve got some basic bread making experience, it’s time for a few
ethnic varieties of bread recipes as served up by The Cook and Kitchen
Staff from “Our Daily Bread” collection.

Today’s recipe makes for a simple, crusty Italian-style loaf bread and is
so easy to prepare, you’ll wonder why you ever went to an Italian
restaurant just for the bread.

In a small mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and brown sugar, and let
proof for 3 to 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt. Add olive oil, 1 egg,
and yeast mixture, and blend until a silky dough is formed.

Form 1 large loaf, or divide dough into 2 parts and form into long loaves.
Sprinkle cornmeal on a lightly greased baking sheet. Place loaves on the
baking sheet, seam sides down. Brush tops of the loaves with a tablespoon
of water mixed with the remaining egg. Let rise until doubled, about 50
minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 375-F degrees. Brush loaf with remaining egg wash.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Make 4 cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of
loaf. Place a pan of hot water in bottom of oven. Bake the bread for 25 to
30 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. After
cooling, store in air-tight container to preserve. May freeze for up to 3
months.

Kitchen Staff Tip: To serve a crustier bread, five minutes before dinner is
served, re-heat the baked bread in the same temperature oven for 5 minutes.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised how the extra crunch from re-heating lends
to the authenticity of the Italian bread.