To prepare a delicious and fluffy bread, start by gathering all the necessary ingredients. In a large bowl, put the freshly sifted flour, salt, yeast, and butter. It is essential not to let the yeast come into contact with the salt, as the latter can deactivate the yeast, affecting the rising process. I advise you to prepare the water, which you will add gradually towards the end of the mixing.
Start kneading the ingredients using your hands, gradually adding the water. Continue kneading until you obtain a uniform and slightly 'rough' dough, ensuring that all the flour is incorporated. It is important to observe the consistency of the dough, which should be slightly denser but not excessively rigid.
Once the dough is formed, place it on a lightly floured work surface and knead it with your hands for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to over-knead, as this can compromise the final texture of the bread. After you have obtained a homogeneous dough, shape it into a ball with your palms.
Cover the dough with a bowl and let it rest for one hour. This step is crucial as it allows the yeast to act and increase the volume of the dough. Prepare a bread pan by greasing it with oil; the ideal dimensions for the pan are 24 x 11.5 cm.
After the dough has risen, place it back on the lightly floured work surface. Shaping the dough is the next step, so knead it a little to make it more pliable and give it the desired shape, adapting it to the size of the pan. Once you have achieved the right shape, place the dough in the prepared pan and cover it again. Let it rise for another hour in a warm place to achieve a fluffy texture.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius. When the dough has risen sufficiently, sprinkle a little flour on its surface to prevent sticking and score it according to your preferences. Now is the time to put the pan in the oven, baking for about 30 minutes.
After the time is up, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a rack. This step is just as important as it allows the steam to escape from the bread, keeping its airy texture. Enjoy the result of your work, a fresh bread with a golden crust and a soft crumb, perfect to be served alongside a variety of dishes.
Start kneading the ingredients using your hands, gradually adding the water. Continue kneading until you obtain a uniform and slightly 'rough' dough, ensuring that all the flour is incorporated. It is important to observe the consistency of the dough, which should be slightly denser but not excessively rigid.
Once the dough is formed, place it on a lightly floured work surface and knead it with your hands for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to over-knead, as this can compromise the final texture of the bread. After you have obtained a homogeneous dough, shape it into a ball with your palms.
Cover the dough with a bowl and let it rest for one hour. This step is crucial as it allows the yeast to act and increase the volume of the dough. Prepare a bread pan by greasing it with oil; the ideal dimensions for the pan are 24 x 11.5 cm.
After the dough has risen, place it back on the lightly floured work surface. Shaping the dough is the next step, so knead it a little to make it more pliable and give it the desired shape, adapting it to the size of the pan. Once you have achieved the right shape, place the dough in the prepared pan and cover it again. Let it rise for another hour in a warm place to achieve a fluffy texture.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius. When the dough has risen sufficiently, sprinkle a little flour on its surface to prevent sticking and score it according to your preferences. Now is the time to put the pan in the oven, baking for about 30 minutes.
After the time is up, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a rack. This step is just as important as it allows the steam to escape from the bread, keeping its airy texture. Enjoy the result of your work, a fresh bread with a golden crust and a soft crumb, perfect to be served alongside a variety of dishes.
Ingredients
- 500 g all-purpose flour 000 freshly sifted (in the book, p. h. specifies '4 cups of all-purpose flour but not very full' - I used 500 g of flour, to which a little extra flour was added for dusting the work surface). - 13 g fine sea salt - 8.4 g dried yeast or the equivalent in fresh yeast (30 g fresh yeast) - 56.5 g butter (at room temperature, soft but not melted, cut into pieces) - 295 ml water (1 and 1/4 cups of water) You may need a little extra flour and/or water during kneading compared to the amounts mentioned above.