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Directions

This bread recipe is quicker than most, and easy to make.You can use bread flour or unbleached all purpose.I usually double the quantity of the flour in order to make 4 loaves but if it’s your first time making bread I suggest to start with a smaller quantity.

Preparation:

Dissolve yeast in the warm water .

In the bowl you’re going to use, combine  about half of the flour (1 1/2 cups), salt, oil, and yeast with water, and mix well. Cover tightly (plastic wrap or a food cover) and let sit for 30 minutes.
Then proceed by using your favorite method: using a mixer,or by hand. If you don’t have a blender but you own a food processor go to “Dough in 5 Minutes”.

METHOD #1: Blender :
Mixing with pastry hooks, slowly add 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture and knead until smooth. The dough will be very sticky and just needs enough additional flour so it can be handled.
Sprinkle a work surface with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and turn out the dough, kneading briefly by hand, pulling in the flour, until it doesn’t stick to hands.

METHOD # 2: By hand:

Add 1  1/2 cups  flour to the yeast mixture and combine with hands to form a cohesive dough.

Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead in as much of the remaining flour as needed until the dough is smooth and doesn’t stick to the hands.

Shape into two loaves, place on a nonstick cookie sheet, and place on the middle rack in a cold oven  for 15 minutes.

Note:

• The loaves will rise while in the cold oven, and will rise further when baking, so allow adequate space between.

• To create a more crusty top, just before baking score the loaves 2-3 times diagonally across the top.

• Optionally, just before baking, brush the top of the loaves with water (I use a spray bottle) and sprinkle with sesame seeds before placing in cold oven.

Turn on oven to 425°F and bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes or until golden.

Cool on a rack. Yield: two 1-pound loaves