French-Style Bread
- 1 ½ packages active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 cups warm water
- 1-tablespoon salt
- 5 – 6 cups all-purpose or hard-wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 1 egg white mixed with 1-tablespoon cold water
Combine yeast with sugar and warm water in a large bowl and allow to proof. Mix the salt with the flour and add to the yeast mixture, one cup at a time until you have a stiff dough (after proofing, lightly stir yeast mixture, I put 2 cups of flour on top on yeast mixture and then put the salt on top of the flour and then mix, then I begin adding one cup at a time). Remove to lightly floured board and knead until no longer sticky, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary. Place in a buttered bowl and turn to coat the surface with butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Punch down the dough. Turn out on a floured board and shape into two long, French bread-style loaves. Place on a baking sheet (I use French loaf pans) that has been sprinkled with the cornmeal but not buttered. Slash the tip of the loaves diagonally in two to three places (need a very sharp, pointed knife for this) and brush with the egg wash. Place in a cold oven, set temperature at 400 and bake 35 minutes or until well-browned and hollow sounding when tops are rapped.
Best served warm – usually do not last – can be frozen and then heat to serve. Leftovers make great bread for the onion soup recipe – I often make the loaves just for that reason.
- Makes 2-long loaves
(James Beard, “Beard on Bread”)