French-Style Bread

Directions

1. 1
   Combine the yeast with sugar and warm water in a large bowl and allow to proof.
2. 2
   Mix the salt with the flour and add to the yeast mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough.
3. 3
   Remove to a lightly floured board and knead until no longer sticky, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.
4. 4
   Place in a buttered bowl and turn to coat the surface with butter.
5. 5
   Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6. 6
   Punch down the dough.
7. 7
   Turn out on a floured board and shape into two long, French bread-style loaves.
8. 8
   Place on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with the cornmeal but not buttered.
9. 9
   Slash the tops of the loaves diagonally in two or three places, and brush with the egg wash. Place in a cold oven, set the temperature at 400, and bake 35 minutes, or until well browned and hollow sounding when the tops are rapped.
10. 10
    VARIATIONS
11. 11
    For a wheaten loaf, use half white flour and half whole-wheat flour.
12. 12
    Substitute equal parts of whole-wheat flour and cracked wheat for half of the white flour.
13. 13
    For a more involved, more tightly textured loaf: Use either the original recipe or the whole-wheat variation.
14. 14
    After the first rising, remove from the bowl, punch down, and knead again for 5 to 10 minutes.
15. 15
    Return to the buttered bowl for a second rising.
16. 16
    When it has doubled in bulk, form into two loaves and place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
17. 17
    Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
18. 18
    Slash with a sharp razor or knife, brush with slightly beaten egg white or water, and place in a cold oven set for 375 or 400.
19. 19
    Bake until nicely browned and hollow sounding when tapped with the knuckles.
20. 20
    Line the oven rack with tiles (see page 12), preheat the oven to 400, and slide your bread loaves from the baking sheet directly onto the tiles, which have been sprinkled with cornmeal.
21. 21
    Add to the liquid in the first step 4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil and then proceed with either the original recipe or the whole-wheat variation.
22. 22
    You may need to use a small additional amount of flour.
23. 23
    Use 1/3 white flour, 1/3 whole-wheat, and 1/3 cracked-wheat.
24. 24
    This will give a very nice coarse, nutlike texture to the bread.
25. 25
    With this mixture I would advise adding olive oil in the beginning to give tenderness.