Basic Italian Bread
Place the water in a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast overtop and mix well. Let sit 10 minutes until bubbly. Add the biga, flour, and salt and stir with a wooden spoon (or mix with y...
Ingredients
- 1/2teas. active dry yeast
- 1Cuplukewarm water
- 2Cupunbleached, all−purpose flour
- 2Cupwarm water (about 90 degrees f.)
- 1Pkg. active dry yeast
- 5−6 cups all−purpose, unbleached flour
- 2ts. salt
Directions
- 1
Place the water in a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast overtop and mix well
- 2
Let sit 10 minutes until bubbly
- 3
Add the biga, flour, and salt and stir with a wooden spoon (or mix with your hands) until everything is mixed
- 4
The dough will be fairly wet and sticky at this point
- 5
Cover and let stand in a warm spot for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until doubled in volume
- 6
Punch down the dough, folding it over on itself two or three times, cover and let rise once more until doubled, about 1 hour
- 7
If you choose, you could refrigerate your dough at this time and leave it overnight to prepare the next day
- 8
Turn out your dough onto a floured baking sheet, and without overworking it too much shape into one large or two smaller round or oval shape