Description
This Easy Crusty Italian Bread is the perfect homemade loaf—crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and made with simple pantry ingredients. A beautiful artisan-style bread that’s beginner-friendly and full of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (110°F / 43°C)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Optional: garlic butter, sea salt, or dried herbs for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast, warm water, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms.
- Let the dough rest for 20–30 minutes (autolyse phase) to allow full water absorption.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1.5 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Gently deflate dough, divide in half, and shape into two loaves. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise a second time for about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C) with a baking stone or heavy sheet inside. Place a metal pan at the bottom of the oven.
- Right before baking, score the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife.
- Add 1 cup hot water to the metal pan to create steam. Quickly place the loaves in the oven.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown with a crisp crust.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Slicing while hot may result in a gummy texture—let it cool fully.
- Try brushing with garlic butter or sprinkling sea salt for an extra punch.
- Using steam helps create that signature crust—don’t skip it!
- Prep Time: PT25M (plus 2.5 to 3.5 hours rising/resting)
- Cook Time: CT30M
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (of 16 total)
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 2.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg