Best 4 Fabulous Crusty Italian Loaf Recipes

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In the realm of homemade bread, few things can compare to the aroma and flavor of a perfectly baked Italian loaf with a crisp, golden crust. This culinary delight, often found in the heart of Italian bakeries and homes, holds a special place in the world of bread enthusiasts. In this article, we will take you on a journey to discover the secrets of crafting a fabulous crusty Italian loaf right in your own kitchen. From selecting the finest ingredients to mastering the art of kneading and baking, we will provide you with detailed instructions, tips, and insights to help you achieve bread-baking greatness. Get ready to embark on a delightful adventure that will elevate your baking skills and bring the taste of Italy to your dinner table.

Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!

FABULOUS CRUSTY ITALIAN LOAF



Fabulous Crusty Italian Loaf image

'Pane Crostoso'--The Best sandwich bread. Delicious and surprisingly easy to make; just like the crusty loaves that you would purchase at your favorite Italian bakery (in my opinion). Adapted from "Cucina di Calabria" a cookbook of Calabrian recipes by Mary Amabile Palmer. This is also great with pasta (for dipping in the sauce!) or the second day as bruschetta or crostini. For bread machine, simply use machine to mix the dough and bring it through its first rise, then follow instructions for shaping loaves. Variation for making rolls follows at end of recipe. Preparation time includes rise time.

Provided by Cinizini

Categories     Yeast Breads

Time 3h40m

Yield 2 loaves

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water (test as with a baby's bottle)
3 cups unbleached flour or 3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
cornmeal
1 egg yolk

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, dissolve yeast with a quarter cup of the lukewarm water. Pour yeast into a large bowl. Mix in flour, sugar, salt, and remaining lukewarm water and mix in until dough starts to form. If too sticky, add a bit more flour.
  • Turn out onto flat surface and knead for 6-8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Put dough into an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with a thick towel, and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until doubled in size, or about 1.5-2 hours.
  • For bread machine, just use to mix and do the first rising of the dough, then remove to shape into loaves and do second rise, following instructions below.
  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Remove dough onto a floured surface. Punch down and shape into 2 oblong loaves about a foot long each. If you own a baking stone or unglazed ceramic tiles, dust lightly with cornmeal and put into preheated oven. Put loaves on a peel (large wooden spatula), also lightly dusted with cornmeal, or on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise again for 40 minutes. Loaves will about double in width.
  • In a small dish, add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water. Slit tops of risen bread 3 or 4 times, making slits that are a quarter of an inch deep. With a brush, paint tops with egg wash. If on a peel, slide loaves onto stone or tile; otherwise put cookie sheet in oven.
  • Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F Then lower heat to 400F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, until golden and baked through. To check if it's done, thump the bottom of each loaf; if it sounds hollow, it's done.
  • Note: Although the original recipe has you bake it at a higher temperature for the first 10 minutes and then lower the temperature, I was able to bake it continuously at 400F for 40 minutes total and mine turned out perfectly. I am including both here so that you can decide, depending on your oven.
  • Don't wait to let it cool; eat it when it's hot! Delicious!
  • Tip: For crustier bread, put a shallow baking pan filled with boiling hot water on bottom shelf of oven.
  • Variation: To make rolls, preheat oven to 400°F After dough rises, remove to a floured surface. Punch down dough and shape into 12-14 rolls. Place on cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise for 20 minutes. Slit each roll once and paint tops with egg wash. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden and baked through.

ITALIAN STYLE MEATLOAF I



Italian Style Meatloaf I image

Made with mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning, this is a different twist on everyday meatloaf! Enjoy!

Provided by Stefanie Sierk

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 1h15m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 ½ pounds ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup dry bread crumbs
¼ cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Italian-style seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs and ketchup. Season with Italian-style seasoning, oregano, basil, garlic salt, diced tomatoes and cheese. Press into a 9x5 inch loaf pan, and cover loosely with foil.
  • Bake in the preheated oven approximately 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 538.5 calories, Carbohydrate 15.6 g, Cholesterol 180.6 mg, Fat 38.9 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 29.8 g, SaturatedFat 16.6 g, Sodium 941.3 mg, Sugar 5.2 g

AMY'S CRUSTY ITALIAN LOAF



Amy's Crusty Italian Loaf image

Provided by Food Network

Time 12h55m

Yield 3 long loaves

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/4 cup, (2 ounces) very warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup, (8 ounces) cool water ( 75 degrees)
1 1/2 cups, (12 ounces) Sponge Starter, recipe follows
3 1/2 cups, (16 ounces) unbleached allpurpose flour
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) very warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups (16 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

Steps:

  • Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 3 minutes.
  • Add the cool water and sponge starter to the yeast mixture and mix with your fingers for about 2 minutes, breaking up the sponge. The mixture should look milky and slightly foamy.
  • Add the flour and salt and mix with your fingers to incorporate the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl and folding the ingredients together until the dough gathers into a mass. It will be wet and sticky, with long strands of dough hanging from your fingers. If the dough is not sticky, add 1 tablespoon of water.
  • Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it becomes supple and fairly smooth. This is a sticky, wet dough; don't be tempted to add more flour to the work surface. Just dust lightly and use a dough scraper as necessary to loosen the dough from the table during kneading. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes, covered with oiled plastic wrap. (This rest period is the autolyse.)
  • Knead the dough 3 to 5 minutes, until it is stretchy and smooth, yet still slightly sticky. Shape the dough into a loose ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn the dough in the bowl to coat with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature (75 to 77 degrees) for about 1 hour, or until the dough looks slightly puffy but has not doubled.
  • Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or preferably, overnight to let it relax, develop flavor, and become more manageable.
  • Take the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until it begins to warm up and starts to rise.
  • Flour a work surface well and gently dump the dough onto it. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, about 13 ounces each. Gently flatten one piece, pressing out some of the air bubbles, and stretch it into a rectangle. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up as if you were folding a business letter. Now form the loaf into a short baguette by rolling the dough over from left to right and sealing the seam with the heel of your palm. Fold the dough over about 1/ 3 of the way each time, seal the length of the loaf, then repeat. You want to gently draw the skin tight over the surface of the loaf while leaving some air bubbles in the dough.
  • Seal the seam, being careful not to tear the skin of the dough or deflate its airy structure. Do not elongate. These loaves are about 10 inches long. Cover an area on the work surface with a thick layer of flour and place the loaf, seam side down, on the flour. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. The loaves will be loose and slightly irregular in shape. Leave plenty of space between the loaves they will spread as they rise. Cover the loaves with well oiled plastic and let them rise for 1 to 2 hours, until bubbly and loose.
  • Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place a baking stone in the oven to preheat and position an oven rack just below the stone.
  • Sprinkle a peel very generously with cornmeal. Line an upsidedown baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle very generously with cornmeal. Lift one loaf, flip it over so the floured side is on top, and gently tug on the ends to stretch the loaf to the full length of the peel, or about 14 inches on a pan. Repeat with the remaining loaves, placing 2 on the peel and 1 on the pan. Dimple each loaf with your finger in about 6 places, but don't deflate them too much. Be sure the loaves are loosened from the peel, then carefully slide them onto the baking stone. Place the pan of bread on the rack below the stone. Using a plant sprayer, quickly mist the loaves with water 8 to 10 times, then quickly shut oven door. Mist the loaves again after 1 minute. Then mist again 1 minute later.
  • Bake for about 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 450 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer or until the loaves sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom and the crust is a medium to dark brown. (If the crust is not brown enough, the loaves will soften as they cool.) Transfer the bread to a rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes until a smooth, somewhat elastic batter has formed. The batter will be very stiff; it gets softer and more elastic after it has proofed. You may find it easier to mix the sponge using an electric mixer, with a paddle or a dough hook, on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the sponge into a 2-quart clear plastic container and cover with plastic wrap. At this point you have two options:
  • If you plan to make your dough later that same day, let the sponge rest at room temperature until it has risen to the point where it just begins to collapse. This may take 6 to 8 hours, depending on the temperature of the room and the strength of the yeast. The sponge will triple in volume and small dents will begin to appear in the top as it reaches its peak and then begins to deflate. The sponge is now in perfect condition to be used in a dough. It's best if you have already weighted or measured out all of your other recipe ingredients before the sponge reaches this point so you can use it before it collapses too much.
  • If you're not planning to make your dough until the next day or the day after, put the covered sponge in the refrigerator and let it rise there for at least 14 hours before taking it out to use in a recipe. Be sure to compensate for the cold temperature of the starter by using warm water (85 degrees to 90 degrees F) in the dough instead of the cool water specified in the bread recipe. Or let the starter sit out, covered until it reaches room temperature (this may take several hours), but don't let it collapse too much before you use it.
  • Yield: 28 ounces

CRUSTY ITALIAN LOAF



Crusty Italian Loaf image

Make and share this Crusty Italian Loaf recipe from Food.com.

Provided by riffraff

Categories     Yeast Breads

Time P2DT30m

Yield 3 loaves

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 1/2 cups very warm water
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup very warm water (2 oz 105 to 115 degrees f)
1 cup cool water (75 degrees f)
1 1/2 cups biga sponge active starter
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (16 ounces)
4 teaspoons kosher salt
cornmeal (for the peel)

Steps:

  • BIGA: Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, until a smooth, somewhat elastic batter has formed.
  • The batter will be very stiff; it gets softer and more elastic after it has proofed.
  • You may find it easier to mix the sponge using electric mixer, with a paddle or a dough hook, on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Scrape the sponge into a 2-quart clear plastic container and cover with plastic wrap.
  • At this point you have two options: If you plan to make your dough later that same day, let the sponge rest at room temperature until it has risen to the point where it just begins to collapse.
  • This may take from 6 to 8 hours, depending on the temperature of the sponge, the temperature of the room, and the strength of the yeast.
  • The sponge will triple in volume and small dents and folds will begin to appear in the top as it reaches its peak and then begins to deflate.
  • The sponge is now in perfect condition to be used in a dough.
  • It's best if you have already weighed or measured out all of your other recipe ingredients before the sponge reaches this point so you can use it before it collapses too much.
  • If you're not planning to make your dough until the next day or the day after, put the covered sponge in the refrigerator and let it rise there for at least 14 hours before taking it out to use in a recipe.
  • Be sure to compensate for the cold temperature of the starter by using warm water (85 to 90 degrees) in the dough instead of the cool water specified in the recipe.
  • Or let the starter sit out, covered, until it reaches room temperature (this may take several hours)-but don't let it collapse to much before you use it.
  • BREAD: Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast.
  • Let stand for 3 minutes.
  • Add the cool water and biga to the yeast mixture and mix with your fingers for about 2 minutes, breaking up the biga.
  • The mixture should look milky and slightly foamy.
  • Add the flour and salt and mix with your fingers to incorporate the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl and folding the ingredients together until the dough gathers into a mass.
  • It will be wet and sticky, with long strands of dough hanging from your fingers.
  • If the dough is not sticky, add 1 tablespoon of water.
  • Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it becomes supple and fairly smooth.
  • This is a sticky, wet dough; don't be tempted to add more flour to the work surface.
  • Just dust lightly and use a dough scraper as necessary to loosen the dough from the table during kneading.
  • Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes, covered with oiled plastic wrap (This rest period is the autolyse.) Knead the dough 3 to 5 minutes, until it is stretchy and smooth, yet still slightly sticky.
  • Shape the dough into a loose ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn the dough in the bowl to coat with oil.
  • Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature (75 to 77 degrees F) for about 1 hour, or until the dough looks slightly puffy but has not doubled.
  • Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or preferably, overnight to let it relax, develop flavor, and become more manageable.
  • Take the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until it begins to warm up and starts to rise.
  • Flour a work surface well and gently dump the dough onto it.
  • Divide the dough into three equal pieces, about 13 ounces each.
  • Gently flatten one piece, pressing out some of the air bubbles, and stretch it into a rectangle.
  • Fold the top third down and the bottom third up as if you were folding a business letter.
  • Now form the loaf into a short baguette by rolling the dough over from left to right and sealing the seam with the heel of your palm.
  • Fold the dough over about 1/ 3 of the way each time, seal the length of the loaf, then repeat.
  • You want to gently draw the skin tight over the surface of the loaf while leaving some air bubbles in the dough.
  • Seal the seam, being careful not to tear the skin of the dough or deflate its airy structure.
  • Do not elongate.
  • These loaves are about 10 inches long.
  • Cover an area on the work surface with a thick layer of flour and place the loaf, seam side down, on the flour.
  • Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
  • The loaves will be loose and slightly irregular in shape.
  • Leave plenty of space between the loaves they will spread as they rise.
  • Cover the loaves with well oiled plastic and let them rise for 1 to 2 hours, until bubbly and loose.
  • Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
  • Place a baking stone in the oven to preheat and position an oven rack just below the stone.
  • Sprinkle a peel very generously with cornmeal.
  • Line an upside-down baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle very generously with cornmeal.
  • Lift one loaf, flip it over so the floured side is on top, and gently tug on the ends to stretch the loaf to the full length of the peel, or about 14 inches on a pan.
  • Repeat with the remaining loaves, placing 2 on the peel and 1 on the pan.
  • Dimple each loaf with your finger in about 6 places, but don't deflate them too much.
  • Be sure the loaves are loosened from the peel, then carefully slide them onto the baking stone.
  • Place the pan of bread on the rack below the stone.
  • Using a plant sprayer, quickly mist the loaves with water 8 to 10 times, then quickly shut oven door.
  • Mist the loaves again after 1 minute.
  • Then mist again 1 minute later.
  • Bake for about 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 450 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer or until the loaves sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom and the crust is a medium to dark brown.
  • (If the crust is not brown enough, the loaves will soften as they cool.) Transfer the bread to a rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients: The quality of your ingredients will greatly impact the final taste of your bread. Opt for high-quality flour, yeast, and other ingredients to ensure the best results.
  • Follow the recipe carefully: Bread making is a precise process, so it's important to follow the recipe carefully. Pay attention to the measurements, temperatures, and timing.
  • Be patient: Bread making takes time. Allow enough time for the dough to rise and proof before baking.
  • Create a warm and humid environment: Bread dough needs a warm and humid environment to rise properly. You can create this environment by placing the dough in a warm spot in your kitchen, or by using a proofing box.
  • Bake the bread at a high temperature: This will create a crispy crust and a light and airy interior.
  • Let the bread cool completely before slicing: This will help the bread to set and develop its full flavor.

Conclusion:

Baking a homemade Italian loaf is a rewarding experience. With careful preparation and attention to detail, you can create a delicious and beautiful loaf of bread that will be enjoyed by all. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced baker, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. With a little practice, you'll be able to bake a perfect Italian loaf every time.

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