Po Boy Bread

My take on a basic French bread recipe from "Lee Bailey's New Orleans". This version adds flavor with a poolish and is more hydrated. A poolish is just part of the flour and water and a little yeast which ferments before the bread is made, adding flavor. Very good bread. Times listed don't include rising or proofing times.

• Ready In: 48 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 4 16 inch baguettes

Ingredients

• Poolish

• 150  g all-purpose flour (1 1/4 cup)
• 150  g water (2/3 cup at room temperature)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon instant yeast

• Dough

• 673  g all-purpose flour (5 1/4 cup)
• 340  g water (1 1/2 cup at room temperature)
• 36  g sugar (2 tablespoons)
• 7  g instant yeast (2 teaspoons rounded)
• 28  g shortening (2 tablespoons) or 28  g butter (2 tablespoons)
• 16  g table salt (scant tablespoon)

Directions

1. Mix the poolish ingredients well, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 9 hours until bubbly, doubled in volume, and sweet smelling.
2. This can be used then or refrigerated for up to 3 days.
3. Add poolish and all other ingredients except salt to the bowl of a mixer and knead with the dough hook until all dry ingredients are wetted.
4. Cover bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
5. Add salt and knead for 8 to 10 minuts until smooth.
6. Tip out onto lightly floured counter and stretch the doughn into a rectangle. Fold the dough letter-style, top downward, bottom upward, and sides inward until a packet is formed.
7. Place in straight sided clear container sprayed with oil, cover and let rest at room temperature until doubled in volume (about 1 1/2 hours).
8. Divide into 4 pieces. Roll into baguettes about 16 inches long.
9. Place on a floured cloth with folds to support the baguettes. Cover with sprayed plastic film.
10. Let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour as oven heats to 400F with steam pan (skillets work well with water added just before baking).
11. Score and bake in steam for 10 minutes. Remove pan, rotate loaves, and bake for 8 more minutes until 205F internally.
12. Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.