Directions
Preparing the Yeast
Put two cups of lukewarm water in a warmed mixing bowl. Dissolve a tablespoonful of
sugar in it, and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Leave until the yeast has proved
(i.e. turned foamy), which should take about five or ten minutes.
Making the Dough
Mix the salt into the flour. Add it to the dissolved yeast one cupful at a time, mixing
it in well. As the mixture gets too stiff to handle, add more water as needed until
all the flour has been incorporated into the dough. However, the end result should be
a stiff dough with a firm, reasonably dry surface. It should not be sticky.
Kneading the Dough
Form the dough into a large round ball, and put it on a clean flat surface (such as a kitchen
counter) that has been dusted with flour. Press the heels of both hands into the dough,
and push firmly down in a direction slightly away from you. Pull the dough up over
itself, and repeat the process. Occasionally give the dough a half turn, so that it
gets well pummelled in all directions. Do this for at least five minutes.
Leave the Dough to Rise
Lightly grease a mixing bowl with butter, margarine, or cooking oil.
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Put the dough in, and turn it inside the bowl so that the surface of the dough is lightly
greased.
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Cover the bowl with a piece of waxed paper, and put a dish towel on top so that it doesn't
shift.
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Place the bread dough in a warm place for a couple of hours until it has risen until at least
double in bulk.
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Preparing the Baking Sheet
Grease a large baking sheet, and sprinkle it with cornmeal. This is a thin cover, but
sufficient cornmeal should be used to completely cover the surface of the baking sheet, at
least in the area where the loaves will be put.
Shaping the Loaves
Punch the risen dough down, and take it out of the bowl. Divide it into two pieces of
equal size, judged by weight rather than dimensions. Shape these either into smooth
rounds or smooth ovals.
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Place the two loaves on the baking sheet, positioned so that they will not touch when the
dough rises again. It often helps to position them slightly diagonally.
(Alternatively, use two separate smaller baking sheets.)
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Finishing Touches
French loaf:
In a cup, combine the egg white and water. Brush this over the top of each of the
loaves. Then take a sharp knife, and slash each loaf three times diagonally
across the loaf.
Italian loaf:
Dust the top of each of the loaves thickly with flour. Take a sharp knife, and slash
the top of the loaf lengthwise.
Second Rising
Leave the loaves in a warm place for an hour or two to rise again. As they rise, the
slashes will be forced open by the rising dough. Through the open slashes, the dough
then rises in a different texture, producing a pattern on the top of the loaf.
Baking
Bake at 400°F for about twenty minutes until the crust is a rich golden brown. (For
the Italian loaf, this has to be judged under the flour.) Remove from the
oven, and cool on a wire rack.
Makes two large loaves.
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