Recipe: Italian Bread

The other day, my mother wanted some Italian-style bread for making garlic bread. The problem was, the bakeries near us either didn't carry the right kind of bread, or had it pre-sliced crosswise (the recipe required the bread to be cut lengthwise). And therefore...

Italian Bread (makes 1 loaf)
Adapted from this recipe at The Fresh Loaf

Ingredients
Starter

1/4 cup skim milk, scalded
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup bread flour
1/3 tsp active dry yeast, or 1/4 tsp instant yeast

Dough
Pre-prepared starter
2 1/2 cups (scooped) bread flour, plus extra
1/2 cup skim milk, scalded
1/3 cup water
1/2 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tbs salt
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast, or 1 tsp instant yeast
1/2 tbs olive oil

To prepare the starter, scald the milk in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl and allow it to cool to body temperature (about 37°C - test by dropping a little onto the back of your hand). Stir in yeast and allow to reactivate for 5 minutes. Mix in water and bread flour. Cover with cling wrap and incubate in at room temperature (25-28°C) for 4-16 hours.

Prepare the dough. Scald milk and allow to cool, as before. Dissolve the brown sugar in the milk. Stir in yeast and leave for 5 minutes to reactivate. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, all the starter, water, olive oil, salt and 1 cup of the flour. Mix thoroughly using a wooden spoon or your hands.

Knead in more flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is only slightly sticky, and comes off the bowl when lifted up. Grease a bowl well with olive oil; shape the dough into a ball and place it in the greased bowl. Lightly grease a piece of cling-wrap with olive oil and place it, greased side down, over the dough and the bowl. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in size (1-2 hours). Punch down the dough and knead for 1 minute. Allow to rise at room temperature for another 30-60 minutes.

Punch down the dough again and shape into a ball. Return the dough to the greased bowl, cover with greased cling-wrap and allow to relax for 10-20 minutes.

Shape dough into a boule or bâtard shape. Cover loosely with greased cling-wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size (30-60 minutes). Do not over-rise.

Place baking stone in oven, and preheat to 240°C. Right before placing the bread in the oven, brush or spray  the dough lightly with water. Use a sharp knife or razor to slash the bread. Lightly sprinkle some flour onto the baking stone before placing the bread on top.

Bake bread at 240°C for 1 minute. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 220°C and bake for another 20 minutes. Rotate the loaf around and bake for a further 20-30 minutes, until the loaf is evenly browned and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Remove and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

To scald milk, place milk in a microwave-safe bowl or mug. Place a wooden chopstick such that it breaks the surface of the milk; this is to prevent the milk from over-boiling. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes until the milk starts to boil. Stop the microwave immediately and allow the milk to cool.

For instructions on shaping loaves, this is a great site with pictures, and this video demonstrates how to shape and slash a bâtard.

If you haven't got a baking stone, use an upside-down cast-iron skillet or heavy baking pan.

I actually use a microwave oven with a convection setting for baking bread. Since it has a rotating turntable and uses hot air to maintain the internal temperature, the bread comes out evenly browned and perfectly baked.