I love a really good crunchy loaf of italian bread so I am on a quest to find a good recipe. I found this recipe on the kitchen aid forums, it was adapted from James Beard’s Beard on Bread book. It is designed to be used with a stand mixer. I quite like this recipe because it is quick and simple – and worked pretty well on my first attempt. however I think it needs a bit more salt which I will have to try next time. It makes 2 loaves.
2 packages of active dry yeast Proof your yeast with the sugar in the warm water in your mixer bowl. As it proofs, melt the butter in the hot water and allow to cool to lukewarm. Combine the liquids in the bowl and add the salt and flour, 1 cup at a time, until it cleans the sides of the bowl. It will still be a bit sticky. Continue to knead until the dough is soft and smooth. Let it rest for 5 to 6 minutes, then divide the dough in two. Roll each half into a rectangle about 12 inches long and 8 inches wide. Starting from the wide end, roll this up quite tightly, pinching the seams as you roll. Butter one or two baking sheets well and sprinkle with cornmeal. (Instead of buttering I used parchment paper.) Place the loaves on the sheets, and let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 50 to 60 minutes. I like my bread crunchy so I created a steamy environment before baking. Place a casserole dish in the oven on the bottom shelf and boil a kettle. When the bread is ready to go in fill the casserole dish with boiling water. Brush with beaten egg white and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven 40 minutes, or until the loaves are a rich, golden color and make a hollow sound when you tap the crust, top and bottom, with your knuckles. For even more crunch spritz with water every ten minutes. Cool on a rack and slice when quite fresh.
I am sick, so I also made some of my tomato soup. I put the bread together and let it rise (~20 minutes), then started the soup when I put the bread in the oven. They go together great. The bread is also really tasty with some oil and vinegar. Happy munching.
Italian Feather Bread
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Cup warm water (100 to 115 degrees, appx)
1/3 Cup butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 Cup hot water (not boiling)
2 teaspoons salt
5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
Cornmeal
1 egg white, lightly beaten
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Katrina! I found your blog from the kitchenaid forum. I’m impressed. Especially cause you love the gilmore girls. I have a stand mixer as well, and am getting the pasta plates next month. I’m very pleased to see your tips for the first time user–that would be me. Keep up the good work. IT’s fabulous pictures and all!
Hi Darien, so glad you like it. I must say the pictures are the hardest part – but it is satisfying to see the pics with the recipe. Hopefully I will get a post up tonight, since I did manage to make cookies yesterday afternoon
Hi, made your recipe today. Bread in oven. Problem the bread rises wonderful but after I put egg on it, it dropped. I continued to slash and seed. Baking now, will it come out flat and dense? Help
joanne – I am sorry! I hope it still works out, brushing with egg\and or slashing can definitely cause your bread to deflate. Either because it over-rose or didn’t like being touched, lol. You probably know by now whether or not it has risen in the oven?!! Next time maybe don’t let it rise quite so much after you have shaped it, or be more gently while applying the egg?