Italian Bread

Name: Italian Bread
Ingredients: 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast (1 pkg, active, dry); 4 cups bread flour; 2 teaspoons sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 1/4 cups warm water; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon cornmeal (as much as it takes, for dusting and keeping things from sticking)

7 ingredients

1 steps

Ingredients

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast (1 pkg, active, dry)
4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cornmeal (as much as it takes, for dusting and keeping things from sticking)

Directions

1

["Sift out 4 cups of flour onto middle of table or work space.", "Put yeast, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, salt, and 1 cup of the flour into a medium bowl and whisk until well blended.", "Add the warm (110\u00b0 - 115\u00b0) water, mix well, and let rest for 10 minutes.", "Lightly oil (olive oil, maybe 1 teaspoon or less) another medium bowl (one that is heavy and holds heat).", "When yeast is bubbly and smells yeasty, add 2 more cups of flour and the second teaspoon of sugar.", "Mix until flour is incorporated, then add the olive oil.", "Turn out of bowl onto flour (the remaining one cup of flour) on the table and knead for 10 minutes.", "Place dough in oiled bowl turning over to coat all surfaces.", "Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot (I put mine in an unlit oven with the light on) to rise, about 45 minutes.", "Spray cooking spray on 2 medium cookie sheets and set aside.", "When dough has about doubled, punch down and make into desired shapes.", "To make loaves, divide into 2 portions. flatten into rectangle about 4\" x 12\""