The Best of Bread

I finally got around to perfecting my Italian bread loaf.  I set out to copy Macaroni Grill's bread, and managed to do it!  The bread was a hit, and I think a lot of it had to do with the summer heat allowing the bread to rise higher.

Here it is!

Recipe:

Ingredients


3/4 cup water
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 packet of yeast or 1.5 tsp yeast
1.5 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp. olive oil
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary (you can use try as well)
2.5 cup bread flour


Method


Step 1: Put yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water, and let it set for 10 minutes
Step 2: Put it in a large mixing bowl and add flour, water, salt, sugar, oil, and knead for a good 6-8 minutes
Step 3: Add herbs and pepper and knead again for 6 minutes or so (the bread should rise back to normal if you indent it with your knuckles, which shows that it has been kneaded enough)
Step 4: Let rise an hour or so covered in cheese cloth in an oiled bowl (the sunlight, or in a 100 degree oven is perfect)
Step 5: Punch down and let rise for another hour
Step 6: Brush with olive oil and sprinkle some more rosemary on top if you want
Step 7: Put it on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven
Step 8: Turn heat up to 425 degrees and bake for 10 minutes