There’s nothing better than the aroma of freshly baked bread coming from your kitchen. And tasting warm bread that was freshly baked is much better than anything you can buy at the supermarket. Some people rather use a bread-making machine, but preparing bread dough is much easier than most people think. This recipe features a great infusion of olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese. Plan around 3 hours from start to finish, with time in between to wait for the bread to rise. This recipe also yields 2 loaves of bread, which allows your family to enjoy one loaf while giving the second loaf as a gift for your neighbors or to friends inviting you to their dinner party.
2 (.25 ounce) packages of active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
6 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
2 TBSN white sugar
1 TBSN tablespoon salt
1 TBSN dried basil
1 TBSN dried oregano
1 TBSN garlic powder
1 TBSN onion powder
Mixing bowl, whisk, mixing spoon, measuring cup, measuring spoons, linen cloth to dampen, 2 9" x 5" bread loaf pans, baking sheet, silicone gloves, bread knife.
Prep: 120 min.
Cook: 40 min in oven Ready: 2 hr. 40 min. Serves: 2 loaves of bread produces 12-14 servings
Before you handle any food, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Clean your kitchen work area and pull back your hair or wear a cap. You want to avoid contaminating your meal with harmful bacteria that could cause food illness.
To make Italian Herb Bread:
1. Wisk yeast, warm water, and white sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside for five minutes. The mixture will become foamy.
2. Add olive oil, salt, herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, cheese into the yeast mixture. Gradually mix in five cups of flour. Dough will begin to stiffen.
3. While adding the last cup of flour, knead the dough for a few minutes ensuring all flour is mixed in and formed into a ball.
4. Apply a light coat of olive oil around the ball of dough. Let dough sit in mixing bowl and cover it with a damp linen towel. Let sit for 1 hour and allow the dough to rise.
5. After an hour, the ball of dough should have doubled in size. Punch dough down and knead to release all the air.
6. Separate dough into two equal-sized balls and shape into two loaves. Place each loaf into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Place pans on a baking sheet. Let sit for 30-45 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Once loaves have doubled in size, brush the loaf tops lightly with olive oil and bake on top rack for 40 minutes.
9. After 30 min— just take a moment to savor the amazing aroma!
10. Once time is up, use silicone gloves to remove loaves from the oven.
11. Let loaves cool for 5 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and let them cool for a few minutes before slicing.
12. Serve warm with butter or olive oil herb dipping sauce. keep wrapped or covered for up to 5 days.
1 serving: 154 calories, 6 g fat (0 saturated fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 0 sodium, 20 g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 1g fiber), 4 g protein.
Bread is an important source of dietary fibre which helps to keep our digestive system healthy, helps control blood sugar and cholesterol levels and makes us feel fuller for longer. Bread is a low fat source of protein which is required by our bodies for growth, renewal and repair. Bread contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals including B group vitamins thiamine (B1), Niacin (B3) which are important for releasing energy from food and maintaining healthy skin, eyes and nails. It contains the B vitamin Folate (Folic Acid) which is important for pregnancy as it can help to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Bread is relatively low in calories and is a low fat food. Most breads are low in sugar which is important for healthy teeth and maintaining a healthy weight.
High-quality extra virgin olive oil has well-researched anti-inflammatory compounds, antioxidants and numerous heart-healthy macronutrients, which explains why there are so many olive oil benefits. Extra virgin olive oil benefits include lowering rates of inflammation, heart disease, depression, dementia and obesity. Olive oil is made from the fruit of the olive tree, which is naturally high in healthy fatty acids. There are several types of olive oil on the market today, including extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil and regular olive oil — but research shows that extra virgin olive oil benefits are more abundant than the other varieties.
Aromatic, flavorsome red wines or crisp dry whites like Pinot Grigio, Arneis, Semillon or Sauvignon Blanc.
Side Dish pairing: This bread can accompany any entrée including Italian dishes, seafood, BBQ, or eat by itself with butter or olive oil.
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Kick the GLUTS and replace bread flour with Buckwheat flour, Rice Flour., or multi purpose flour mixes that are gluten-free.
Sugar free. Replace sugar with honey or a preferred sugar substitute.
Cheddar Herb Bread. Replace Parmesan cheese with shredded Cheddar cheese for a cheesy alternative. This version is great for BBQs.
Garlic Herb Bread. Add 2 TBSN of minced garlic to bread dough to increase the garlic flavor.