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–+ servings

Easy to follow Italian Bread

Mark Dexter
Italian bread is a lean but flavour-driven yeast bread.It sits between French bread and enriched doughs — light in texture, but with added oil and malt for flavour, colour, and keeping quality.
This is a versatile, everyday bread with a soft crumb and a gently crisp crust.
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 35 minutes
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Course Appetizer, Dinner, lunch
Cuisine European, Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 1 Large Loaf
Calories 425 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 650 g Bakers flour
  • 15 g Salt
  • 3 g Malt
  • 30 ml Oil
  • 5 gr Bread improver
  • 40 g Yeast
  • 300 ml Water approximately

Instructions
 

Mix the dry ingredients

  • Place the bakers flour, salt, malt, and bread improver into a large bowl.
    Mix well to combine evenly.

Add liquids and yeast

  • Add the yeast, then pour in the lukewarm water and oil.
    Mix until a rough dough forms.

Knead the dough

  • Turn the dough onto the bench and knead for 8–10 minutes until:
    Smooth
    Elastic
    Soft with a gentle stretch
    The dough should feel lighter than butter bread, but softer than French bread.

First rise

  • Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl.
    Cover and leave in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until doubled in size.

Knock back

  • Gently press out the air.
    This improves crumb structure and even rising.

Shape

  • Shape into:
    A large oval or batard, or
    Two smaller loaves
    Place onto a lined tray or into a greased tin.

Second rise

  • Cover and allow to rise for 30–40 minutes, until well risen.
    The dough should slowly spring back when lightly pressed.

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 220°C (fan 200°C).
    Bake for 30–35 minutes until:
    Golden brown
    Firm crust
    Hollow sound when tapped underneath

Cool

  • Cool on a rack before slicing.
    Italian bread sets as it cools — slicing too early softens the crumb.

Ready to use

  • Italian bread is ideal for:
    Sandwiches
    Table bread
    Bruschetta
    Toast

Mark’s bench-side advice

  • Tight crumb? Dough too dry — add a little more water next time.
    Pale loaf? Oven not hot enough.
    Flat loaf? Over-proofed — shorten second rise.
    Italian bread is about balance — simple ingredients, well handled.

Notes

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 26gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 1090mgPotassium: 601mgFiber: 11gVitamin A: 21IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
Keyword baked, homemade, versatile, yeast bread
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