Receta First-Timer Italian Wheat Bread and a Featured Guest
First-Timer Italian Wheat Bread and a Featured Guest
First-Timer Italian Wheat Bread
I never realized the wonderful effects of freshly made bread baking in your oven – how the aroma takes over the kitchen and stays within your nostrils until you can hardly stand it! That is, until I actually made some at home for myself.
Hi, I’m Mandy. I’m a virtual friend of Anne’s and you can find out more about me at Mandy’s Life After 30. I’ve just begun what I call really cooking since December 2009. At that time, I committed to making my family’s meals and desserts from scratch. Recently I made my first ever homemade bread. Confession: Until last week, I had never even bought yeast in my life. I was very nervous! But if there is one thing that cooking and baking (and my friend Anne) has taught me, it’s NOT to give up! You have to be bold and try something new. Combine that fearless attitude with carefully reading recipes then you can take on a food challenge too.
I don’t own a bread maker so I spent my afternoon the old fashioned way of making bread – kneading it. Waiting. Kneading it again. Watching it rise. I must admit that on the particular day I made it, I found it very therapeutic to wait and watch it double. While letting the dough work its magic, I read a book, folded laundry, picked up toys around my house, etc. The time went by quickly for me and the end result was definitely worth the wait and trouble.
Here is my recipe, along with several photos, for “First Timer Italian Wheat Bread”:
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of wheat flour (I used “unbleached white wheat flour” by King Arthur)
- 2 tsp yeast (I used one yeast packet)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian dry seasoning
- 1/3 tsp garlic powder
- 1 and ¾ cup of warm (not boiling) water
Preparations:
Mix 1 and ¾ cups of warm water with the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Let the mixture rise until it nearly doubles in size, about 30 minutes.
Original dough:
What the dough looks like after you let it sit and nearly double in size:
Add in the remaining ingredients. Knead with your hands until mixed and sticky. (You may want to place cooking spray on your hands). Let the dough sit and rise once more, approximately 30 minutes again. After that time, knead again one final time. Place the dough in a greased bread pan. Let the dough rise in the bread pan for 30 minutes. Then bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool for about five minutes before slicing to desired size and width. (About 12 slices). (Total prep and baking time when baking by hand is about 2 hours and ten minutes).
Finished bread loaf:
Slice to your desired size and shape. Enjoy! Even my picky two year old liked this bread.
If you have tips for making your own bread by hand, please leave them in the comments. I’d love to hear more from other bakers on how they perfect homemade bread!
Thank you Anne for letting me guest write on your blog! You know I adore you and that I’m always coming here for great family recipe ideas!