French Bread

This one is also from the More-With-Less Cookbook. I realize that most of my favorite bread recipes do come from here, it is the cookbook I used to teach myself to make bread, and generally cook more sensibly.

I always use olive oil for the fat, and I never use the egg wash (I put a pyrex pan of water in the bottom of the oven before I start to preheat it, it works well to give it a crunchier crust while still being soft enough for the girls) This makes 2 loaves or 4 "half loaves"

Easy French Bread

2 tbsp dry yeast
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp fat (oil, butter, shortening etc.)
2 tsp salt
2 cups boiling water
7 1/2 – 8 cups flour

Dissolve yeast, water and sugar into large bowl.

Mix sugar, fat. Salt and boiling water. Cool to lukewarm and add to yeast mixture.

Stir in flour.

Kneed until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning once, to rise until double.

Punch down and let rest 15 minutes.

Divide dough in half.

Roll out half to 12x15 inch rectangle. Roll up starting at 15 inch edge. Place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat with second half.

Make 4 or 5 diagonal slashes on top of each loaf, or one slash down the middle. Let rise until double.

Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten, 2 tbsp milk). Top with poppy or sesame seeds if you wish.

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.