Basic Rustic Italian Bread Recipe

This delicious Italian bread is easy and quick to make.

Ingredients
1. Flour (3 c.)
2. beaten egg (1)
3. salt (1 tsp)
4. cornmeal, opt (1/8 c.)
5. dry active yeast (1 package)
6. lukewarm water (1c)

Method of preparation:-
1. Take a bowl. Mix flour and salt in the bowl with hand. Make a well in the bowl of flour to move the flour to the sides of the bowl.

2. Pour yeast and 1 cup of Luke warm water in the well of this flour. On the top of yeast sprinkle 1 tbsp of yeast. Keep it for about 10 minutes until the bubbles appear in the yeast.

3. Then mix all ingredients with hand or mixer to form dough. If the dough is too liquid then add a bit of more flour and knead it to make a firm ball of dough.

4. After kneading, take off the dough from the bowl and place on the floured surface and again knead it on the floured surface with your palm until it becomes non-sticky. Knead it for about 5-10 minutes.

5. Take a bowl and then floured it lightly. Place the bread in this bowl and then cover it with damp dish cloth. Keep it for about 1 hour (it depends on the room temperature). It should be double in size. Sprinkle the flour over it.

6. Now take a baking pan, oil it and sprinkle flour or cornmeal at the bottom of the pan. Place the bread on the floured surface. Pinch it with hands or palms. Now give it the shape of loaf. Put the loaf and baking pan.

7. Cover the dish with towel and keep it for 1 hour to rise or double in size. Coat the top with beaten egg according to your desire.

8. Put the baking pan in oven and bake it at 375 degree F and for about 30 minutes. Baking time depends on you how much you like to brown its color.