French Bread

Homemade French Bread is so good, especially when served with soups or spaghetti. This is an easy recipe that doesn't take a lot of time to prepare. The longest time is waiting for the bread dough to rise.

Ingredients

1 pkg. or 1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar or honey
2 cup warm water (110°-115°)
2 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil 
1 tsp, salt
5-6½ cups all purpose flour
Cornmeal

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.  Allow to stand for 8 to 10 minutes to make sure the yeast is active and alive.

Beat in one cup flour using a wooden spoon. You can use a mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix for 2 minutes.

Add oil, salt and enough flour to make a stiff dough. 

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough into a greased bowl, (I use the same bowl that I mixed the dough in). Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm location until doubled in size. This can take 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how warm it is. 

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half out into a 9 x 13-inches rectangle. Starting at the long edge, roll the dough up, jellyroll fashion. Press out the air bubbles with your fingertips as you go. Pinch the edge to seal. Place the dough, seam side down, on a large greased baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal.  Cut about 5 slashes diagonally across the tops of each loaf. Or cut one long slash lengthwise down the center of the dough.

Place in a warm location and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 375°. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. They should sound hollow when tapped with your finger.  Makes 2 loaves.