This homemade Italian bread recipe makes two loaves of soft, chewy bread with a golden, steam-baked crust. And it's easier to make from scratch than you'd think! Perfect for dipping in seasoned oil, serving with pasta and soups, or making sandwiches.
olive oildivided (1 tbsp for dough, 1 tbsp for brushing before baking)2 tbsp
waterfor steaming in baking dish½ cup
Steps
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1
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 cups of warm water (about 110°F), 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.
2
Add 3 cups of flour, 1.5 teaspoons of salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix with a spatula to combine. Measure out the remaining 2.5 cups of flour separately.
3
Place the bowl on the stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Mix on low speed, adding the remaining flour half a cup at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding more.
4
Once all flour is added, mix on medium-low speed for about 5 minutes until the dough develops structure and pulls away from the bowl. If the dough sticks excessively to your fingers, add flour a tablespoon or two at a time until it becomes tacky but not sticky.
5
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled large bowl, turning it once to coat with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until the dough doubles in size.
6
Lightly flour your work surface. Turn out the risen dough and divide it into two equal pieces. Using a bench scraper, shape each piece into a ball by pinching the edges together and creating tension through pulling motions.
7
On the floured surface, stretch and roll the first dough ball into an 8 by 11 inch oval. Flip the dough and re-stretch if needed to maintain shape.
8
Roll the dough tightly from one long side like a jelly roll, pinching the seam and edges to seal. Place the loaf seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
9
Repeat with the second dough ball: stretch and roll into an 8 by 11 inch oval, roll it up like a jelly roll, seal the seam and edges, and place on the baking sheet. Pinch or tuck the ends as preferred.
10
Brush the loaves gently with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes until noticeably puffed.
11
Midway through the rise (20 minutes in), prepare a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and fill it with half an inch of water. Arrange two oven racks, one in the middle and one at the bottom. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
12
Once the bread has risen, remove the plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, make three diagonal cuts in each loaf.
13
Place the water-filled dish on the bottom oven rack for steam. Put the bread on the middle rack and bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes. The bread should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
14
Once baked, let the loaves cool for a minute and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled to room temperature, slice and serve as desired.
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