Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (2025)

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By

Elizabeth Yetter

Elizabeth Yetter

Bread expert Elizabeth Yetter has been baking bread for more than 20 years, bringing her Pennsylvania Dutch Country experiences to life through recipes.

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Updated on 08/11/24

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Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (1)

Prep: 60 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Rising Time: 50 mins

Total: 2 hrs 15 mins

Servings: 24 servings

Yield: 2 loaves

Traditional Italian bread is moist, has a thin, crisp crust, and works well with any meal. If you haven't tried baking fresh Italian bread yet, this simple recipe will get you started.

At breakfast, this bread is perfect for scooping up the egg yolk on your plate. Pair it in the Italian way with fruit compote and a dark coffee with a splash of milk to start your day or serve with lunch or dinner alongside pasta or soups. It also works well in a hoagie or even as a pizza-bread base.

When sliced thin, use it to make little French toasts, or as the base of hors d'oeuvres topped with either membrillo paste and Manchego cheese, or ricotta, honey, and pumpkin seeds.

The end product is twonice-sized loavesfor the week.

What You'll Need to Make This Italian Bread Recipe

A Nice Big Mixing Bowl
A Handy Dandy Flour Sifter
A Sturdy Baking Sheet

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

  • 1 3/4 cups warm water (95 F to 110 F)

  • 1 tablespoon butter, ormargarine, softened

  • 5 cups bread flour, or high-gluten flour

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 large egg white

  • 1 tablespoon cold water

  • Cornmeal, for sprinkling on the baking sheet, optional

Steps to Make It

Making the Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (5)

  2. In alarge bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, and 1 3/4 cups warm water (95 F to 110 F).

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (6)

  3. Stir in 1 tablespoons softened butter or margarine, whichever using.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (7)

  4. Sift in 5 cups of bread flour or high-gluten flour (one cup of flour at a time) until you have a dough that can be easily kneaded by hand without sticking to your hands.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (8)

  5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is soft and not sticky.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (9)

  6. Lightly grease a medium-sized bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil and flip dough over so that the top is also greased. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or wrap paper and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (10)

Proofing a Second Time

  1. Grease a large baking sheet and sprinkle it with coarse cornmeal, if desired.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (11)

  2. Remove the dough from the bowl, place onto alightly floured table, and divide into two equal parts.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (12)

  3. Roll each dough half into an approximately 15 x9-inch rectangle.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (13)

  4. Roll the dough tightly along the 15-inch side, pinch the seams, and taper the ends of each loaf with your hands at a 45-degree angle.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (14)

  5. Place the loaves on the prepared baking sheet and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes.

Baking the Bread

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Make 3 deep diagonal slashes on each loaf. Bake the bread for 20 minutes.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (15)

  2. Lightly beat 1 large egg white and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl to create an egg wash. This step is key for traditional Italian bread.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (16)

  3. Remove the loaves from the oven and brush with the egg wash.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (17)

  4. Return the loaves to the oven for another 5 minutes. Serve bread warm or cold and enjoy.

    Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (18)

Italian Bread Basics

You may have had Italian bread before, but it's important to know what characteristics you can expect it to have:

  • The inside is moist, thick, and very absorbent, perfect for soaking up soup, sauces, and oils.
  • Italian bread tends to be an elongated oval shape, not too thin and not too thick.
  • Unlike French bread, which tends to be sweet, Italian bread often has a savory taste that adds to its versatility.
  • Italian bread dough is typically wetter than other doughs because it uses more liquid (water or milk) and fat (butter or olive oil).
  • Despite its savory flavor, many Italian bread recipes do use sugar.
  • Traditionally, Italian bread is baked on a stone to give it that signature thin crisp crust, golden brown in color.
  • Italian breads baked in wood ovens have a smokier flavor.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
124Calories
2g Fat
21g Carbs
4g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories124
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g3%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 113mg5%
Total Carbohydrate 21g8%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 6mg0%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 36mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • bread
  • italian bread
  • side dish
  • italian

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Easy Italian Bread You'll Want To Make Again And Again (2025)
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