HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD
Bread is one of the best and oldest foods on the planet. I know I love it. It is tasty on its own or with butter, jam, apple butter, or covered with stew or anything you like on your bread. One of the most essential things about homemade bread is that it is not full of the preservatives of most commercial sandwich bread.
I happen to be sensitive to the preservatives used in bread, so I make my own. This loaf is really a very easy bread to make; even if you’ve never made bread before, this is a good place to start.
I encourage you to try making bread. It is such a feeling of accomplishment when you produce a beautiful loaf of bread. It is a joy.
Bread is one of the oldest foods on the planet. All cultures have and make bread of all kinds. This is a simple sandwich loaf. I will use it for sandwiches, toast, for bread to put under the stew I am making today. This bread really is an easy loaf to make. Try it.
INGREDIENTS
6 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Instant Yeast
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Cups Water, very warm (about 120 degrees F)
¼ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, divided
DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add the water and ½ of the olive oil; mix together until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a clean surface and knead until the dough comes together and is smooth, about 5 minutes.
Form a smooth dough ball and return to the mixing bowl. Cover with a cooking sprayed piece of plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough in half and form into two loaf shapes; place the loaves into two loaf pans, sprayed with cooking spray.
Drizzle each loaf with the remaining ½ of the olive oil. Slash the tops of the loaves about ¼ inch deep with a sharp knife.
Cover loaves with a cooking sprayed piece of plastic wrap. Place loaves on the middle rack of the cold oven with a pan of hot water on the rack below it to help it proof. Proof for 40 minutes.
When the dough is almost proofed, preheat the oven to 400 degree F.
After 40 minutes, remove the pans from the oven and remove the bread from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy.
