How to Make Italian Bread

Warm Italian bread from the oven is nothing short of good old fashioned comfort food!

You can print the recipe here https://amandascookin.com/italian-bread-recipe/

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast 2 packets
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 cups hot water hot to the touch, not boiling
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5-6 cups all-purpose flour add more if needed to get to a pliable dough
1 large egg white for brushing on loaves

Instructions
Dissolve yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine 2 cups hot water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, salt, and oil. Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture in this large bowl/mixer and mix well. Stir in yeast mixture.

Add 2 – 3 cups more flour and mix until well blended. (At this point your dough will still be quite sticky). Leave in bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour. (If using a mixer, remove the bowl from the mixer and cover. Otherwise your paddle attachment or dough hook will get covered in dough when it rises).

Divide dough into 2 (or 3 if you want smaller loaves) pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface into the length desired then roll up lengthwise like a jelly roll.

Put on a greased cookie sheet, sealed side down, and tuck the ends under.
Slash the top diagonally across the top every couple of inches with a sharp knife.

Cover and let loaves rise 30 more minutes.

While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk the egg white and brush over the top of loaves.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

Notes
If your dough is still super sticky, you can add small amounts of flour until the dough just comes together.

You can use the packets of active dry yeast available at any grocery store. I bake a lot of bread, so I prefer to by SAF instant yeast in larger packages.
When a bread recipe calls for warm water, the temperature should be around 110 degrees F. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast, and too cold will delay the rise process.

Use regular white granulated sugar for this recipe.

In a separate step, you'll also use hot water in this recipe. Since you are mixing it with other ingredients before adding the yeast mixture it will be fine. You want hot tap water, not boiling water.

Regular everyday table salt is used, not Kosher or sea salt.

This recipe calls for vegetable oil, but olive oil can also be used.

We are using all-purpose flour, white not wheat, to make this bread.