Rustic White Bread

Soft and chewy interior with a crispy crust is my favorite kind of loaf of bread. This recipe is simple and makes two very large loaves, perfect for enjoying right away and saving the other in the freezer for another time.

By Rose Huxford

For some, making homemade bread can be intimidating, and believe me, it was for me for a very long time. But, with this recipe, you will see that making delicious bread can be fun & kid friendly.

Rustic White Bread

By Rose Huxford

Prep time: 10 minutes

Rising time: 1.5 hours

Bake time: 30-35 minutes

Yields: 2 large loaves

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup potato flakes

• 1 tbsp salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 2 packets active yeast

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 3/4 cup cold water

Directions

1. In a medium or large liquid measuring cup, add water, then sprinkle yeast on top. Lightly stir. Then, let it sit for about 10 minutes until the yeast looks smooth.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and potato flakes. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. If you are making this by hand, use a large bowl.

3. Turn on the mixer, then add in the salt and sugar and let it mix until blended. While the mixer is still running, slowly drizzle the olive oil to the flour mixture, then slowly add the water and yeast mixture. If making this by hand, use a wooden spoon, Dutch whisk or a regular whisk to blend the ingredients.

4. Let it knead for about 4 minutes, or until the dough starts coming together. If doing this by hand, knead for about 5 minutes. *You can knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface.

5. Your dough should be smooth at this point and spring back after lightly pressing it down. If it is still sticky add a bit more flour and knead until the dough is smooth. Form a ball and place it in the bowl.

6. Lightly spray plastic wrap with nonstick oil and cover the bowl the dough is in, then place a towel over the plastic wrap and leave it in a warm spot to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

7. Halfway through the first initial rise, pre-heat your oven to 425 degree F. To obtain a crispy crust, place a medium baking dish filled half way with water to the bottom of oven (or the bottom rack) before the oven gets hot. Let the water and oven get hot at the same time. This will some steam to accumulate in the oven.

8. Use two baking sheet pans sprinkled with cornmeal. This will help the bread to not stick, and adds a nice crunch.

9. Once the dough has completed it's first initial rise, dump it on a lightly floured surface. Knead the large dough for about 30 seconds, this helps release any air bubble. Then, using a bench scraper, or a knife, cut the dough in half. Form a ball with each of them, then place them on each of the pans. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap (you will need to make another sprayed plastic wrap), then with towels. The oil from the nonstick oil will help the dough to not form a dry layer. Allow the two loaves to rise for about 30 more minutes, or until doubled in size.

10. After the second rise, and depending on your oven, start with one of the loaves and bake for about 30-35 minutes. You want the crust to be a dark golden brown.

11. Once the first (or both) loaves are done baking, place them on a cooling rack for about 5-10 minutes before slicing them and sharing with friends or family.

12. If you place to save and freeze one of the loaves, make sure the bread is 100% cooled. Cover it with a clean plastic wrap, then foil, then in a large resealable bag. Or, cover with plastic wrap and then in a bread bag meant for the freezer.