Food of the World - Italy "Al's Italian Bread"

Yield > 1
Keys : Breads Rolls Hold Italian Italy European Mediterranean
Ingredients :
3 oz Fresh yeast
3 cup Warm water - (to 4 cups)
divided
3 lb High-gluten or bread flour
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
1 tbl Salt plus
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbl Vegetable shortening plus
more for
greasing if using pans
Cornmeal
Toasted sesame seeds
Method :
• Dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water. Combine flour,
sugar and salt in mixing bowl. Make a well in center of
mixture; pour in yeast mixture. Mix thoroughly with hands
(Marino's method) or dough hook of mixer. Gradually add 1 to
2 cups remaining warm water; mix thoroughly. Dough should
be sticky.
• Spread 2 tablespoons shortening on top of dough; knead
in.
• Cover dough with a cloth and set in a warm place to rise
for 30 minutes. (Marino turns his electric oven to "warm" for a
minute, turns it off, then puts the bowl of dough inside.) After
30 minutes, knead dough in bowl for about 3 minutes. Cover
and return to warm spot to rise for 1 hour.
• Cut dough into 4 equal sections. Lightly flour counter and
rolling pin; roll each section of dough into a rectangle. Roll up
each piece of dough lengthwise, like a jelly roll. Shape each
into a loaf, sealing the seam with the side of your hand or
knuckles.
• Sprinkle some cornmeal and sesame seeds on kitchen
counter. Spread some warm water over top of each loaf with
your hand; roll loaf over seeds and cornmeal.
• Sprinkle another counter lightly with cornmeal. Place
finished loaves on top, cover with a towel and let rise for 15
minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. (If using oven tiles or a
pizza stone, sprinkle them with some cornmeal and place in
oven to heat.)
• Place risen loaves on hot oven tiles or in lightly greased
oblong cake pans, using 2 loaves per pan. (If baking the bread
in pans, remove after 15 minutes and place the loaves directly
on the top oven rack to finish baking; place empty pans on the
bottom shelf to keep the bottom of the bread from
overbrowning.) Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaves are
golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Yield: 4 loaves.

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