Description
This homemade bread recipe yields a delicious and fluffy loaf, perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups warm water (between 100 and 110F / 37 to 43C)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to drizzle on the dough ball and coat the baking tray)
- halved cherry tomatoes
- pitted kalamata olives
- dry oregano
- to taste salt
Instructions
- Add the flour, yeast, salt, and warm water to a large bowl and stir with a spatula. If the dough becomes too hard to stir, finish incorporating the dough with your hands until a sticky dough-ball forms. No need to KNEAD, just shape the dough.
- Note: The water must be warm, not hot or cold, between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit (37 to 43 degrees Celsius). If too hot or too cold, the yeast will not activate.
- Once shaped, oil up the dough ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest in a warm spot overnight. A minimum of 8 hours is recommended.
- Place the dough away from drafts, like in the microwave, cupboard, or cold oven.
- After it has tripled in size, uncover it and punch down the middle with your fist.
- Line a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, drizzle the bottom generously with olive oil, pour out the dough, and stretch it until it fits evenly into the baking dish.
- Cover it again with plastic wrap and let it rest for another hour until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
- Once doubled, uncover it, drizzle the top generously with olive oil, and press down with your fingers, forming dimples all over the dough.
- Add any additional toppings of choice, such as cherry tomatoes, olives, dry oregano, and a sprinkle of salt.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden, monitoring the bake time depending on your oven and baking dish.
Notes
- Make sure the yeast is not expired.
- You can make the dough early in the morning and bake later in the evening for dinner.
- You can customize toppings, such as sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, and herbs like rosemary or thyme.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg