I make a lot of bread. My bread maker, like my ice cream maker, is in constant use. Most of the time, I’m using the dough setting of the bread maker for pizza dough, French bread or Italian bread. Loaves of bread never last very long in this house!

I’ve blogged about the different things we put on homemade bread numerous times over the past 9 months. It wasn’t until last week, after the Bruschetta post, that it was brought to my attention that I had never shared the bread recipe for all those appetizers. Mea culpa! It’s time to correct that oversight!

I bought the two pans I use long ago from the King Arthur Flour Catalog. They still have them. Recently, I helped a friend find the French loaf pan at the William-Sonoma store in our area.

The 3 loaf pan is for French bread and the 2 loaf pan is for Italian bread.

French or Italian Bread

• 1  2/3 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 5 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (for top)

Put the water, butter, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bread maker in the order required by the manufacturer. Set the bread maker on the dough setting.

Liquids go first in my bread maker.

When the dough is finished, turn it out onto a floured board. Split the dough into 2 or 3 equal parts, depending on the bread pan. Roll out each part to an oblong shape. Starting from a long side, roll the dough to form the loaf. Fold the ends under and the pinch ends and the long seam to seal them.

Roll the dough out in an elongated oblong shape then roll it up from a long side.

Put each rolled loaf on the greased 2 or 3 loaf bread pan, with the seam side down. Slit the tops in 3 places. Let the loaves rise, covered with a clean cloth for 45 minutes. Brush the tops of each loaf with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Olive oil gives the baked product a wonderful color.

Bake the loaves for 20 minutes at 400°. Cool the bread on wire racks. Use thinly sliced & toasted pieces for appetizers like bruschetta or cut the bread into 4-6 inch sections for sandwiches. The uncut loaves can be wrapped in plastic wrap then aluminum foil to freeze for a future use when they are completely cooled.

Crusty on the outside and soft on the inside!

Fresh, homemade bread makes every meal special!  ~Linda

French or Italian Bread

• 1 – 2/3 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 5 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (for top)

Put the water, butter, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bread maker in the order required by the manufacturer. Set the bread maker on the dough setting.

When the dough is finished, turn it out onto a floured board. Split the dough into 2 or 3 equal parts, depending on the bread pan. Roll out each part to an oblong shape. Starting from a long side, roll the dough to form the loaf. Fold the ends under and the pinch ends and the long seam to seal them.

Put each rolled loaf on the greased 2 or 3 loaf bread pan, with the seam side down. Slit the tops in 3 places. Let the loaves rise, covered with a clean cloth for 45 minutes. Brush the tops of each loaf with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Bake the loaves for 20 minutes at 400°. Cool the bread on wire racks. Use thinly sliced & toasted pieces for appetizers like bruschetta or cut the bread into 4-6 inch sections for sandwiches. The uncut loaves can be wrapped in plastic wrap then aluminum foil to freeze for a future use when they are completely cooled.