Photos of my Italian bread--please look!

[YorkieMominFL]

I just started learning to bake Italian Bread. Here is a photo:

http://www.pbase.com/snap2it/cooking_photosPlease let me know what you think!


Thanks, Pamela

 

[urmaniac13]

COMPLIMENTI!!!!
It looks brilliant!! Did it taste as good as it looks? Did you do it all by hand, or used bread making machine in the first process?

 

[Floridagirl]

yorki, that looks great!!!!!

 

[kadesma]

Pamela,

Your bread is great. I hope you got to enjoy it, as I'm sure it dissapeared almost before it cooled Beautiful.
kadesma

 

[YorkieMominFL]

Hi Licia, yes, I did the dough in my bread machine that I have had since 1994 (Welbilt), which I have not used in years until just recently. In July I bought a new Whirlpool range and so I started baking again. I never did like to bake the bread in the machine as it makes a big round loaf. And yes, it really did taste great and thank you for the compliment........as it gives me encouragement !!! My husband says it tastes better than the bakery's!

Floridagirl, thank you for the compliment also! I notice you are from Germany. Many years ago I lived in Frankfurt. I assume you live in FL now and I do to! Where abouts?

By the way, can you all tell me how to post my photo directly with the message?

Pamela

 

[YorkieMominFL]

Thank you "kadesma"! Actually my husband and I sampled it and are planning to have more with our dinner (meatloaf) which is in the over cooking at this moment! Since it's just myself and "Grandpa" here, things last longer then they used to when there were growing children around.

Pamela

 

[urmaniac13]

Hi Licia, yes, I did the dough in my bread machine that I have had since 1994 (Welbilt), which I have not used in years until just recently. In July I bought a new Whirlpool range and so I started baking again. I never did like to bake the bread in the machine as it makes a big round loaf. And yes, it really did taste great and thank you for the compliment........as it gives me encouragement !!! My husband says it tastes better than the bakery's!

Floridagirl, thank you for the compliment also! I notice you are from Germany. Many years ago I lived in Frankfurt. I assume you live in FL now and I do to! Where abouts?

By the way, can you all tell me how to post my photo directly with the message?

Pamela

I am glad you and your hubby enjoyed your bread!! I hope you will keep on baking and fill the house and neighbour with the lovely aroma!! We must try it, too, we do use our breadmaker as well but yes, like you pointed out, the shape it produces has its limitations and sometimes we would like a different shape, too!!

And as for the picture directly on the message, all you have to do is click on the "insert image icon" (the 5th one from the right directly above the reply message box), then copy and paste the url of the photo!!

 

[YorkieMominFL]

thanks Licia...........I am just testing to see if I can do it!

Pamela

 

[urmaniac13]

Yeah!! It works Pam!!

But I think you may want to resize the picture a little bit smaller!!

 

[pdswife]

It looks GREAT! I wish I could smell it too. There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread! Welcome to the group!!

 

[YorkieMominFL]

Thanks again Licia...........is this a good size? U R so helpful!!!

Thanks "pdswife" for the welcome!!!

Pamela

PS I wish I could send the smell and a slice to all of you!!!

 

[Cyberchef]

Absolutely beautiful!!! It really is mouth-watering looks every bit as wonderful as the loaves baked by the "masters". Thanks for sharing and - great work!

 

[YorkieMominFL]

Wow Cyberchef........thanks for the great compliment!!!

Pamela

 

[urmaniac13]

You're very welcome, Pam!! Yes! It is much better!! I can almost smell the bread!! great job!!

 

[bluespanishsky]

it looks de-lish! nice work!

 

[letscook]

Would you share the recipe. It looks great! Thanks

 

[YorkieMominFL]

I will be happy to share this recipe with everyone! I don't know where I orginally got the recipe......it was on a typed sheet in one of my cooking notebooks from several years ago, so I'm sorry that I don't know who to give credit to. Here it is and I have also added some notes as to what I did when I made the loaf that I showed in the photo:

Ingredients:



3 to 3 ½ Cups All-purpose or Bread Flour (I used Bread Flour)

1 Tbls. Sugar

1 Tsp. Salt (I used Kosher)

1 Pkg. Yeast, reg. or quick active (I used Fleischmann’s RapidRise)

1 Cup Water, VERY warm (I used around 105º)

2 Tbls. Vegetable Oil (I used Olive Oil)

Cornmeal

1 Egg White, large (I used Half & Half)

1 Tbls. Cold Water



Place all ingredients, except the last 3, into bread machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. After the first kneading, remove from machine and form dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place 1 ½ to 2 hours or until double in size. Note: Rising time is longer than time for traditional breads, which gives the typical Italian (or French) bread texture. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.



Grease large cookie sheet with shortening; sprinkle with cornmeal. I personally use parchment paper.



Punch down dough and roll into a rectangle, approximate 12 x 18 inches. Roll up tightly, beginning at 12” side to form a loaf. Cut ¼” deep slashes across loaf at 2” intervals with a sharp knife. “I personally do not cut the slashes until after the loaf rises and I am getting ready to bake!” Brush loaf with cold water. Let rise uncovered in warm place about 1 hour or until doubled in size.



Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350º or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.



“I brushed my loaf with Half & Half about 5 minutes before the baking was complete and I also misted cold water into the oven about half way through the baking cycle.”

Enjoy!

Pamela

 

[letscook]

thanks I will try it. It looks so good.

 

[kitchenelf]

I need to quit being so afraid to make bread - what's to lose? Some flour and water and not too much else!!

 

[htc]

Wow, that bread looks beautiful!! Pat yourself on the back. I can never make pretty looking bread.