Description
Hands-on prep: About 25 minutes
Initial rest: 15 minutes
First rise: 60–90 minutes
Second rise: 35–50 minutes
Bake: 30–35 minutes
Cool: At least 1 hour
Yield: 1 loaf, about 12 slices
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups bread flour, spooned and leveled, approximately 17 ounces
- 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water, plus up to 1 tablespoon only if needed
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Additional flour for handling and oil for the bowl
Instructions
- Stir flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl. Add water and oil and mix to a shaggy dough. Cover and rest 15 minutes. Add the optional water gradually only if still dry.
- Knead by hand for about 8–10 minutes or with a dough hook for 5–7 minutes, until smoother and elastic. Keep the dough soft and slightly tacky.
- Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and rise 60–90 minutes, until approximately doubled. Give one gentle set of folds about 30 minutes into the rise.
- Shape into a snug oval, pinch the seam closed, and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Cover and rise 35–50 minutes, until puffy. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Make three shallow diagonal scores. Bake approximately 30–35 minutes, until golden and baked through, generally around 200–205°F in the center. Tent if browning too quickly.
- Transfer to a rack and cool at least 1 hour before slicing.
Storage: Keep fully cooled bread at room temperature for up to 2 days for quality, or freeze well wrapped for up to 3 months. Refresh briefly at 350°F or toast slices.
Overnight variation: Reduce yeast to 1 teaspoon, refrigerate the kneaded dough after a short 20–30-minute room-temperature rest, and allow 8–12 hours cold fermentation. Judge expansion and the final proof by appearance, allowing extra time as needed.