Prep 2 hrs Prepare 40 mins
Method
Combine the flour, yeast and salt inside a large bowl. Add some oil, if using (not required, however it creates a rather softer, smoother crumb), adding water. Stir to produce a rough, sticky dough. The dough should be quite sticky at this time – whether it isn't, give a splash more water.
Come out the dough onto a gently floured surface and knead for around ten minutes, rhythmically stretching the dough from you, then folding it back on itself. The concept would be to stretch and get the gluten inside the dough, to not beat the living daylights from it. Avoid adding more flour if you're able to: the dough will end up less sticky and simpler to deal with while you knead, along with a wetter dough generally is a better dough.
Once the dough is smooth and elastic, form it right into a ball, coat it very gently with oil and put inside a clean bowl. Cover with cling film or put in the clean bin-liner and then leave inside a warm place until bending in dimensions - around 1 hrs.
Tip the dough on to some gently floured surface and deflate together with your fingertips. Reshape the dough into neat models and set on the gently floured board to demonstrate for approximately forty-five minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250°C/gas mark 10, or its greatest setting. Place a baking tray directly into warm up.
Once the loaves have almost bending in dimensions again, go ahead and take hot baking tray in the oven and sprinkle after some flour. Carefully transfer the risen loaves towards the tray. Slash the tops having a sharp, serrated knife and make the oven.
Bake for ten minutes, then lessen the heat to 190°C/gas mark 5 and bake for around half an hour more, or before the crust is well-coloured, and also the loaf sounds hollow whenever you tap it dramatically together with your fingers. Transfer to some rack to awesome completely before slicing.
Ingredients
- 1kg strong white-colored bread flour
- 10g fast-action yeast
- 15g fine salt
- 1-2 tablespoons of sunflower, rapeseed or essential olive oil (optional), plus extra to grease the dough
- 600ml tepid to warm water