The GT Italian Bread Recipe

The GT Italian Bread Recipe from Cooking Enthusiasts. Named and developed in tribute to the two most influential Italian Bread loaves in the Chicagoland area of my childhood: Gonnella, and Turano.

This recipe produces rustic, hearty, Italian-style bread loaves with a thin, crusty exterior, encasing a tender, airy crumb. The bread can be made in a home oven, with a steam tray setup, using quality all-purpose flour OR bread flour, ranging at 11.3% protein or better.

I've tested the recipe using Chicagoland favorites: Ceresota All-Purpose flour, and King Arthur All-Purpose flour, among other varieties. This recipe can be prepared and enjoyed in as little as a few hours.

GT ITALIAN BREAD
Yield:1,433.9g
Makes Two Approximately 715g loaves

INGREDIENTS:
- 770g quality flour
- 590g water (76% hydration)
- 23g sugar
- 26g EVOO or choice oil
- 15g instant yeast
- 9g salt



DIRECTIONS:
- Add water, sugar, and yeast in a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl and combine well at the lowest speed, proving yeast if necessary.
- Add oil and combine well.
- Add flour in a bit at a time so it will gradually mix with liquid.
- Just before the dough reaches the ball stage, add in your salt, and continue mixing at the lowest speed.
- When the dough has mixed beyond the ball stage and begins to spread back into the stand mixing bowl, continue mixing at the lowest speed for four minutes.
- After four minutes, increase to second or dough hook speed for four minutes.
- Next, rest the machine and dough for four minutes.
- Prepare a proofing bowl with a lid by lightly oiling it with oil.
- Resume at lowest speed for four minutes, then with a lightly oiled dough scraper, work the dough out into a proofing bowl and cover, rest for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid, wet your hand, and punch down the dough, then cup your fingers together to stretch & fold the dough from the inside container with a series of four to six repetitions, making sure to wet your hand before each stretch and fold. Then use your wet plastic dough scraper to smooth the dough top to encourage seams together, cover, and repeat twice more, every 30 minutes for a total of three rises, stretch & fold sessions.
- After completing the third stretch and fold session, rest dough until it doubles in volume OR 60 minutes.
- Work dough out onto floured work surface, flour the top side of the dough and divide in half. Flour well enough to ball and rest for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 430°f with a steaming tray setup on the lower rack.
- With a rolling pin, stretch the dough to a 9 X 12 bell shape, thicker and narrower at the end you begin rolling the loaf and flaring wider as you roll to complete the loaf into a tight, baguette shape log.
- Pinch closed any seam and roll smooth. Taper edges as desired and dust with flour for a light, crusty finish, or brush with egg wash for a shiny, lacquered finish.
- Cover and rest for 30 minutes with a kitchen towel.
- 10 minutes before baking, carefully pour hot water into your steaming tray to allow steam to generate.
- Slice venting into loaves to prevent dough from releasing steam unpredictably through a path of least resistance. Nudge any portion of loaves that may have proved over the edge of the baking tray.
- Place on the center rack of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes at 430°f, rotating 1/4 turn every 7 minutes to bake evenly.
- REDUCE HEAT to 375°f at 21 minutes into baking.
- Remove from oven, transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool at least 40 minutes before slicing.

Audiotrack: SNOWY STROLL DOWN MAINSTREET
by Adam Christgau