Amy's Crusty Italian Loaf
Italy
Known as an Italian recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.
Ingredients 10 ingredients
- 3/4 Teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 Cups Sponge Starter -- See Recipe
- Bread
- 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 Cup cool water
- 1/4 Cup very warm water
- Baguette
- Cornmeal
- 3 1/2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt -- Plus
Possible health benefits
General information, not medical advice.
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Bread
High in thiamine · 0.4 mg per 100 g, 40% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Thiamine contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Thiamine contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
- Thiamine contributes to normal psychological function.
1 more authorised claims
- Thiamine contributes to the normal function of the heart.
Thiamin (also called vitamin B1) helps turn the food you eat into the energy you need. Thiamin is important for the growth, development, and function of the cells in your body. NIH fact sheet
High in riboflavin · 0.4 mg per 100 g, 31% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Riboflavin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Riboflavin contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
- Riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes.
6 more authorised claims
- Riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal red blood cells.
- Riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
- Riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.
- Riboflavin contributes to the normal metabolism of iron.
- Riboflavin contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
- Riboflavin contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Riboflavin (also called vitamin B2) is important for the growth, development, and function of the cells in your body. It also helps turn the food you eat into the energy you need. NIH fact sheet
High in niacin · 4.8 mg per 100 g, 30% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Niacin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Niacin contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
- Niacin contributes to normal psychological function.
3 more authorised claims
- Niacin contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes.
- Niacin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
- Niacin contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Niacin (also called vitamin B3) helps turn the food you eat into the energy you need. Niacin is important for the development and function of the cells in your body. NIH fact sheet
High in folate · 105 µg per 100 g, 53% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy.
- Folate contributes to normal amino acid synthesis.
- Folate contributes to normal blood formation.
5 more authorised claims
- Folate contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism.
- Folate contributes to normal psychological function.
- Folate contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
- Folate contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
- Folate has a role in the process of cell division.
Folate is a B-vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Your body needs folate to make DNA and other genetic material. NIH fact sheet
High in selenium · 30 µg per 100 g, 55% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Selenium contributes to normal spermatogenesis.
- Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
- Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails.
3 more authorised claims
- Selenium contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
- Selenium contributes to the normal thyroid function.
- Selenium contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
Selenium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Your thyroid gland needs selenium to produce hormones and function properly. NIH fact sheet
Source of phosphorus · 106 mg per 100 g, 15% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Phosphorus contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Phosphorus contributes to normal function of cell membranes.
- Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
1 more authorised claims
- Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth.
Phosphorus is a mineral contained in each cell in our body. Most phosphorus is in the bones and teeth, and some is in your genes. NIH fact sheet
Source of iron · 3.0 mg per 100 g, 22% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Iron contributes to normal cognitive function.
- Iron contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin.
4 more authorised claims
- Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body.
- Iron contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
- Iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
- Iron has a role in the process of cell division.
Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles. NIH fact sheet
Source of copper · 0.2 mg per 100 g, 16% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Copper contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues.
- Copper contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Copper contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
5 more authorised claims
- Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation.
- Copper contributes to normal iron transport in the body.
- Copper contributes to normal skin pigmentation.
- Copper contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
- Copper contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
Copper is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses copper to carry out many important functions, including making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. NIH fact sheet
Source of manganese · 0.5 mg per 100 g, 25% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Manganese contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Manganese contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
- Manganese contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue.
1 more authorised claims
- Manganese contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
Manganese is a mineral that your body needs to stay healthy. Your body uses manganese to make energy and protect your cells from damage. NIH fact sheet
Source of protein · 9.5 g per 100 g, 13% of the energy from protein
- Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.
- Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
- Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
Contains choline · 84 mg per 100 g, at least 82.5 mg per 100 g
- Choline contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism.
- Choline contributes to normal lipid metabolism.
- Choline contributes to the maintenance of normal liver function.
Choline is a nutrient that is found in many foods. Your brain and nervous system need it to regulate memory, mood, muscle control, and other functions. NIH fact sheet
Nutrients per 100 g of “Bread, egg”, USDA FoodData Central.
Claims: EU Register of health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, © European Union, CC BY 4.0), shown only where the ingredient meets the claim's conditions (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Nutrients: USDA FoodData Central (CC0). Facts: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (public domain).
Cook safely
Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.
- Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
Method
Chef Wood
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- Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 3 minutes.
- Add the cool water and sponge starter to the yeast mixture and mix with your fingers for about 2 minutes, breaking up the sponge. The mixture should look milky and slightly foamy.
- Add the flour and salt and mix with your fingers to incorporate the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl and folding the ingredients together until the dough gathers into a mass. It will be wet and sticky, with long strands of dough hanging from your fingers. If the dough is not sticky, add 1 tablespoon of water.
- Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it becomes supple and fairly smooth. This is a sticky, wet dough; don't be tempted to add more flour to the work surface. Just dust lightly and use a dough scraper as necessary to loosen the dough from the table during kneading. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes, covered with oiled plastic wrap. (This rest period is the autolyse.)
- Knead the dough 3 to 5 minutes, until it is stretchy and smooth, yet still slightly sticky. Shape the dough into a loose ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn the dough in the bowl to coat with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature (75 to 77 degrees) for about 1 hour, or until the dough looks slightly puffy but has not doubled.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or preferably, overnight to let it relax, develop flavor, and become more manageable.
- Take the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until it begins to warm up and starts to rise.
- Flour a work surface well and gently dump the dough onto it. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, about 13 ounces each. Gently flatten one piece, pressing out some of the air bubbles, and stretch it into a rectangle. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up as if you were folding a business letter. Now form the loaf into a short baguette by rolling the dough over from left to right and sealing the seam with the heel of your palm. Fold the dough over about 1/ 3 of the way each time, seal the length of the loaf, then repeat. You want to gently draw the skin tight over the surface of the loaf while leaving some air bubbles in the dough.
- Seal the seam, being careful not to tear the skin of the dough or deflate its airy structure. Do not elongate. These loaves are about 10 inches long. Cover an area on the work surface with a thick layer of flour and place the loaf, seam side down, on the flour. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. The loaves will be loose and slightly irregular in shape. Leave plenty of space between the loaves they will spread as they rise. Cover the loaves with well oiled plastic and let them rise for 1 to 2 hours, until bubbly and loose.
- Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place a baking stone in the oven to preheat and position an oven rack just below the stone.
- Sprinkle a peel very generously with cornmeal. Line an upside down baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle very generously with cornmeal. Lift one loaf, flip it over so the floured side is on top, and gently tug on the ends to stretch the loaf to the full length of the peel, or about 14 inches on a pan. Repeat with the remaining loaves, placing 2 on the peel and 1 on the pan. Dimple each loaf with your finger in about 6 places, but don't deflate them too much. Be sure the loaves are loosened from the peel, then carefully slide them onto the baking stone. Place the pan of bread on the rack below the stone. Using a plant sprayer, quickly mist the loaves with water 8 to 10 times, then quickly shut oven door. Mist the loaves again after 1 minute. Then mist again 1 minute later.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 450 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer or until the loaves sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom and the crust is a medium to dark brown. (If the crust is not brown enough, the loaves will soften as they cool.) Transfer the bread to a rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Yield: 3 loaves
Plating
Cookware for this recipe
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Baking tray
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Mixing bowl
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Vegetable peeler
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Wooden spoon
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Spatula