Rustic Italian Wheat Bread

I’ve been stuck in a bit a of a bread rut lately. I’ve just been making a few of my favorite recipes. So I decided to try something new. This rustic Italian bread starts with a sponge which sits for several hours. Then you make the dough and bake the bread. It is a nice crusty loaf. This turned out to be an excellent sandwich bread!

I served this with some Turkey Tetrazzini made from the leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Yum!

Rustic Italian Wheat Bread

This rustic bread is a light wheat bread. It works well as an accompaniment to pasta or as a sandwich bread. Instructions are included for traditional breadmaking as well as ABM.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 8 hrs

Cook Time 40 mins

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the sponge starter

• 1 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp gluten
• 1/4 tsp SAF yeast

For the bread dough

• 1 cup flour
• 2 tbsp gluten
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 tsp SAF yeast
• yellow cornmeal

Instructions

 

For the sponge starter (ABM)

• Place the starter ingredients in the bread pan.
• Start the dough cycle.
• Set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, Unplug the machine.
• Let sit in the machne for 4 or more hours.

For the sponge starter (by hand)

• In a large bowl, combine all of the starter ingredients.
• Cover and let sit in a warm location for 4 or more hours.

For the dough (ABM)

• Add all of the dough ingredients to the starter in the pan.
• Use the dough cycle.
• The dough will be sticky.

For the dough (by hand)

• Add all of the dough ingredients to the starter ingredients in the bowl of your electric mixer.
• Beat for 5 minutes. (Dough will be sticky.)
• Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Shape and bake the dough (ABM or by hand)

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle with cornmeal.
• Turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Knead for about 10 turns.
• Shape the dough into a slightly oval round and place on the baking sheet.
• Cover and let rise until tripled in size – about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Slash the top of the loaf with a sharp knife, once down the middle.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. When done, it should sound hollow when tapped.
• Cool for at least 15 minutes, then slice.

Nutrition

Calories: 120kcal

Keyword ABM – Automatic Bread Machine

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!