Easy French Or Italian Bread

Total Time: 3 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs 5 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 3 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt (heaping tbs)
• 7 cups flour

Recipe

• 1 proof yeast with sugar in water until foamy.
• 2 combine water with 4 cups flour, mix and let sit 15 minutes.
• 3 in a mixer with a dough hook add in flour by the cup until it reaches a smooth consistency and forms a ball that pulls away from the bowl, should be about 3 more cups (7 total).
• 4 knead by hand or in mixer until smooth and elastic, about 5-10 in a mixer.
• 5 rise until double, about an hour. punch down, rise another hour.
• 6 divide into pieces and form loaves (either 3 italian shape or about 5 long french loaves).
• 7 rise one last time, 30-45 minutes, slash tops with a sharp knife and bake at 400 for about 30 minutes until the loaves sound hollow.