Rustic Italian Bread ABM

"This is the one I make all the time. I use the bread machine to make my dough and then bake in oven to get that rustic look. It rises nice and the crust and texture is great--give it a try. Prep time includes the total bread machine and rising time. You can also make this in your KitchenAid mixer instead of the bread machine, using you kneading hook. Oil bowl cover let rise in a draft free spot."
 
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photo by Evster photo by Evster
photo by Evster
photo by JustJanS photo by JustJanS
photo by vav1827 photo by vav1827
photo by vav1827 photo by vav1827
photo by vav1827 photo by vav1827
Ready In:
3hrs 35mins
Ingredients:
8
Yields:
1 large loaf
Serves:
20
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ingredients

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directions

  • Add flour, oil, salt, sugar, yeast and water to your bread machine according to its instructions.
  • Set on dough setting.
  • Always follow your machines instructions, when mixing open it and keep check on the dough. Dough should be in a nice round soft sticky to the touch ball. If it is not add more water, or add flour which ever is needed.
  • Remove when signal beeps and cycle is done.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Sprinkle cornflour or cornmeal onto a baking sheet.
  • Punch dough down and form into a long or oval loaf.
  • Cover and let rise for 25 more minutes.
  • It should be doubled again by this time.
  • Uncover and slash the top with a sharp knife or razor.
  • Brush all over with the beaten egg white.
  • Bake 25 minutes to 35 minutes, until hollow sounding when tapped on bottom.
  • Cool.

Questions & Replies

  1. Can this recipe be made without a bread machine? And if yes, how do I convert it?
     
  2. What changes would you make to this at an altitude of 5,790 feet?
     
  3. if baking smaller bowl size loaves (2) what should my baking time be. looking forward to making.. new at bread machine .
     
  4. What type of baking pan is best? I like a round loaf.
     
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Reviews

  1. This is a delicious recipe! I don't have a working bread machine, so I used my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. I added the sugar and yeast to the warm water, let it foam for 10 minutes before adding it to the other ingredients. Using the bread hook, I kneaded the dough for a few minutes, covered it in a little oil (so it wouldn't stick to the bowl), and covered it for about 25-30 minutes. Then I punched it down, formed the load, and covered it again to rise. I didn't use egg wash, just sprayed water on it before baking. When she says "large loaf," she means it. It's hard to tell in the photo, but it's about enough to feed 8-10 people. I will definitely be making it again. Thanks for sharing!
     
  2. This is the first time I've made homemade bread. I too mixed it in my KitchenAid, then kneaded a few times before letting it rise. The bread was not too dense with great texture and crust. Let it cool and bake it again for 5-8 min to really crisp the crust. Delicious and easy. Thanks andypandy for a great recipe for the rookie bread maker.
     
  3. I've been using this recipe for quite a while and didn't realize I didn't rate it. So, here goes - it's a wonderful, simple Italian bread recipe. I use my KitchenAid mixer to make the dough, and it always turns out wonderful. Great with a bowl of homemade soup, or sometimes I form it into rolls for wonderful homemade hoagie rolls. Yum!!
     
  4. This dough is wonderful. I am making a loaf as I write this. The first time I used it for a pizza dough. After using the dough cycle on the bread machine, I put it into a greased pizza pan and just spread it out with my fingers. Put the topping on and let it rise about 30 min. and then in the oven till done at about 375F. Turned out great.
     
  5. Fantastic!! My bread machine has bitten the dust so I made it by hand following instructions as written by reviewer Rokmelon "For non breadmachine instructions: Mix yeast with warm water and sugar. Let proof for 10-15 minutes until it gets foamy. Add salt and oil, then flour one cup at a time. Knead till smooth, cover and let sit for an hour, punch down, shape into loaf and bake!" This produces such a great loaf...nice crust and a beautiful light and fluffy centre. Thanks for sharing. :)
     
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Tweaks

  1. Andypandy, you are my hero! This is truly an amazing, delectable, addicting bread recipe! I made one minor substitution, quite by accident, which, luckily, worked out just fine. Thought I'd share: Discovered at the last second that I was out of eggs. I reached into the cabinet for what I thought to be dried egg whites but being blind as a bat, I grabbed meringue powder instead. Didn't discover the switch until my loaf was in the oven. I fretted and stressed until the first bite, which was heavenly! Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
     
  2. I double this recipe for two large loaves. Substitute white flour with 1 cup white bread flour, 4 cups whole wheat, 1 cup flaxseed. Add 3 bulbs roasted garlic, kalamata olives (dry in paper towel before folding into dough) and cut fresh rosemary inside and rolled on outside. Cook on parchment paper with cornmeal. Takes a while to make buy completely worth it...so delicious!
     
  3. Love this bread... So easy using the bread machine. I used vegetable oil instead of olive oil as I don't like the smell of olive oil and instead of using egg white I used the vegetable oil to brush on top of the bread,then sprinkled rolled oats. Wonderfully soft inside and slightly crusty on top. I baked for 35 minutes before I could get a golden colour and a hollow sound on tapping the bread.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Grandmother of two boys, great grandmother of one ...worked in hardware and construction for forty years, read all cookbooks, watch all cook shows on tv. like to cook all types of new recipes.
 
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