Italian Brooklyn Bread Recipes

RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Note: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
• There are 2 techniques that I will call out below that deal with where you add the sugar. There is one way where you add the sugar to the yeast and another where you add the sugar to the flour. I have used both ways and they both work for me.

MOM'S ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place each loaf seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. With a sharp knife, make 4 shallow slashes across top of each loaf. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

SEMOLINA BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast and salt in the water. On a large wood board make a well in the flour and pour the water with the yeast already dissolved. Add the oil to the water and mix the flour. Work it well until all the water has been absorbed by the flour. Continue to work the dough until it is fully firm. You may need to add a just a bit more water or flour depending on factors such as flour, humidity, etc. Cut a piece of dough and shape it into the form that you desire. Alternatively you can shape it into a traditional loaf design. Put some flour on a baking sheet and position your bread creations on it. Cover the bread with a white cloth and place it in a warm area to raise (about 90F for 1 hour) Pre-heat the oven at 400F and put a small container filled with water in the oven. Bake bread for 45 minutes. Less time if you shape the bread into small forms. Occasionally check on the color to see when it is golden and done.

PROSCIUTTO BREAD (AKA LARD BREAD) RECIPE - (3.8/5)

Steps:

• Step 1: Mix flour, malt powder and yeast in a stand mixer. Combine salt with flour mixture in the mixer bowl - this is done separately from the first mixing so the salt doesn't retard the action of the yeast. Step 2: Add water to mixing bowl and mix into flour with dough hook on low to moisten. Knead for seven minutes on medium speed. Mix in prosciutto on low speed. Dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky. If dough is too sticky knead in more flour a little at a time. If the dough is too dry, spray with a bit of water and knead. Step 3: Shape dough into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle dough with flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes. Step 4: Roll dough into an 18" cylinder and form into a ring. Ensure the ends stick together and place on parchment paper on a large cookie sheet. Spray dough with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled for about 1 hour. I usually heat my oven to the lowest setting and then shut it off before placing dough into it to allow it to rise. Also, I like to let the last rise happen overnight but I didn't have time for that this time. Step 5: Use a pizza stone or baking sheet on a low shelf of the oven and place a baking sheet on the lowest shelf of the oven (or on the bottom of the oven if your heating element isn't on the bottom of the oven). Preheat oven to 450 degrees for at least 10 minutes. Step 6: Transfer bread to pizza stone or baking sheet in the preheated oven and brush with about 1/3 of melted butter. Add about half to a dozen ice cubes into the baking sheet on lowest shelf of the oven. Step 7: Bake 15 minutes. Remove parchment paper and turn bread front to back to allow for even baking. Brush bread with about another 1/3 of melted butter. Add another dozen ice cubes. Bake another 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes. Step 8: Turn off oven and leave bread in the oven with door propped open for another 5 minutes. Step 9: Remove bread from oven and brush with the remaining butter. Allow to cool but if you aren't having company or bringing this bread to a function, this bread tastes delicious slightly warm and crispy. Use this bread to make Saveur's stuffing.

BREAD MACHINE ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Place water, bread flour, sugar, salt, olive oil and active dry yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
• If you have a Italian Bread cycle, press that. If you don't, select Basic Bread cycle. Press Start.
• The machine will now make the bread. Once it's done baking, remove from the machine and serve.

RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• BREAD MACHINE DIRECTIONS
• PLACE all ingredients except cornmeal and egg white in bread machine pan according to manufacturer's directions. Process on DOUGH setting.
• SPRINKLE ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. At end of dough cycle, remove dough from machine. Place on lightly floured surface. Punch down dough. (If dough is sticky, knead in additional flour before shaping.) Cover dough with clean cloth. Let rest for 15 minutes. Shape dough into baguette-shaped loaf about 12 inches long. Place loaf on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet. Cover. Let rise in warm place (80 degrees to 85 degrees F) for 20 to 25 minutes or until light and doubled in size.
• HEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Make 1 deep lengthwise slash with sharp knife in top of loaf. Brush loaf with egg white. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
• CONVENTIONAL OVEN METHOD
• SPOON flour lightly into measuring cup. Level off. Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl. Mix well. Add warm water and oil. Mix well. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough 10 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 degrees to 85 degrees F) for 30 to 40 minutes.
• SPRINKLE ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. Punch down dough. Cover dough with inverted bowl and allow to rest on counter 15 minutes. Shape dough into baguette-shaped loaf about 12 inches long. Place dough on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet. Cover. Let rise in warm place 35 to 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
• HEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Make 1 deep lengthwise slash with sharp knife in top of loaf. Brush loaf with egg white. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
• High Altitude (3500 ft.):
• No change.