I can’t help myself when it comes to trying easy bread recipes. Especially recipes that contain only the 4 basic ingredients (flour, salt, yeast, and water) you find in any yeast bread recipe, no matter how many other items might be included in the list of ingredients. After all my years of baking bread, I finally realized that you only need these 4 essential ingredients to make unimaginably delicious bread. And for just pennies, rather than several dollars spent when purchasing the same type of bread at your local grocery store or bakery. And this recipe from the ciaoflorentina.com site could not be easier.
I did change the baking directions on Florentina’s recipe however, because I really like to bake a simple bread like this one in a Dutch oven* or cloche** (clay bread baker). And Florentina’s recipe called for baking the bread on a pizza stone.
Because another important thing I have learned from years of baking bread – I CAN NOT TURN OUT HOMEMADE BREAD QUITE AS PERFECT AS BREAD BAKED IN A COMMERCIAL OVEN***. However, when I use a Dutch oven (regular cast iron or Le Creuset) or clay cloche, I can come pretty darn close. And for my pennies spent, close is good enough. And in most cases, better than just good enough. Wonderful, to be exact.
So, if you too are into baking bread, give this amazing recipe a try. Just be prepared and have soft butter available. But try to let the freshly baked bread cool before diving into it. I know, I’m asking a lot of you. But trust me, as soon as the bread is cool, slice off a big hunk and liberally spread it with butter. After all, who deserves a treat more than you?!
And on that happy note I wish you, as always, peace and love. And happy baking.
3½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp. fine sea salt
2 tsp. instant yeast
1½ c. warm water
In the bowl or your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, and yeast with the paddle attachment.
Add the warm water and mix until a soft dough has formed. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for about 3 hours or until doubled in size.
Place a bit of flour on a pastry cloth or clean kitchen counter. Transfer the bread dough onto the floured surface using a stiff spatula. Then flour your hands and form the dough into a boule (ball shape). (Do not knead the dough or handle it more than necessary.)
Place the formed bread dough on top of parchment paper and using a serrated knife, gently carve an X on top. Rest the formed dough while you place a Dutch oven or cloche on the middle rack of your oven and turn the temperature dial to 450-degrees.
Once the oven has come to temperature, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven, and gently place the boule and parchment paper inside the Dutch oven.
Cover and bake the bread for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown on top and the internal temperature reaches 205-degrees.
Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
*Using a Dutch oven helps to mimic the environment of a commercial oven. That being a moisture-sealed chamber with intense and (mostly) even radiative heat. Dutch ovens offer ample thermal mass to ensure a temperature-stable baking environment with their thick cast iron walls.
**A cloche is designed to support bread dough while it bakes creating a perfect rise. Cloches should have tight-fitting lids that trap steam, giving the bread a lovely crispy golden-brown crust. A good cloche also comes with a heavy-duty bottom that also ensures a thick, crispy, golden base.
***Commercial ovens provide heat from both below and above. They can also inject steam into the baking chambers.