This Italian bread is made for many meals in our home. Made by “little Bean” and a little help from me. Everyone has a place in the kitchen, and this little girl’s delicate hands are amazing with baking.
It serves as our bread for French toast, hoagie and sub sandwiches, garlic toast, and sometimes croutons. It has just a few simple ingredients, comes together easily, and is- start to finish- ready in 90 minutes.
Print Recipe
Italian Bread
Equipment
- large stand mixer
- 1-2 Sheet pans
- parchment paper
- Sharp knife
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp Instant yeast
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 2½ cups Warm water
- 1 tbsp Sea salt
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
- 5½ cups Bread flour
- 1 Egg (for the egg wash prior to baking)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, sugar, and water. Allow to rest for a few minutes until the yeast blooms. It will be slightly foamy.
- Add bread flour, sea salt, and olive oil to the bowl.
- Using the dough hook on the stand mixer, knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until there is no longer flour on the sides of the bowl and a sticky dough ball is formed.
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- After the dough has risen for 30 minutes, punch down the dough and form a tight ball. Flour a work surface and divide the dough into 2, 4, or 6 equal pieces. Two dough balls will make 2 large Italian bread loaves, four dough balls will make 4 large sub rolls, six dough balls will make 6 hoagie rolls.
- Spread the dough balls into a rectangular shape and roll long ways, pinching the sides and end to remove the crease at the end of the dough.
- Gently lay the rolled doughs onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover with a tea towel. Two loaves fit on one sheet pan, 4 sub rolls and 6 hoagies fit on 2 large sheet pans. Allow the bread loaves or rolls to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Just prior to baking, slice 4-6 slits on the top of the bread with a very sharp knife.
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl.
- Using a pastry brush, gently brush the entire loaves/ rolls with the egg wash.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature is above 190℉. Hoagie rolls will bake faster than the loaf bread.
- When the bread is golden brown and finished baking, remove the sheet pans from the oven and allow the bread to rest on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This can be stored in a plastic bag on the counter for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
