Italian Baguette Bread Recipe

Italian Baguette Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 package (0.25 oz) dry active yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees F)
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal

Preparation Instructions:
In the bread maker, mix the warm water and yeast thoroughly and let stand about 5 minutes until it is creamy. Place the flour, sugar, olive oil, and salt in with the yeast mixture in this order and turn the breadmaker on to mix and knead the dough (about 15 minutes). On a cutting board or lightly floured surface, cut the dough in half. With your hands roll the bread out into a long baguette about 12 to 14 inches. Do the same with the other half of the dough. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a cooking sheet and move both loaves to the sheet. Cover with a damp cool towel and let stand for 45 minutes (until the dough has doubled in size approximately). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut a thin line along the top of each loaf with a serrated knife and cook for 35 minutes (until bread sounds hollow when tapped). Some like to mix an egg white with a tablespoon of water and coat the top of the loaves 30 minutes into the cooking. But I don’t like the taste and do not recommend this.

Photo credit: martaschoenle