Easy Rustic Bread Loaf

This recipe is SOOO good and easy.  This bread will be crusty on the outside and warm and soft on the inside.  Perfect for dipping in soups!

Ingredients:

• 24 fluid ounces warm water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fast rising yeast (I use Fleischmann’s RadpidRise)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 6 1/2 cups bread flour

What to do:

Pour warm (not hot) water into a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast to the water mix well.  Add salt and stir until it dissolves.

Add all the flour and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until ingredients are mixed. Do not over knead. Leave the bread dough in the mixing bowl and cover loosely. Allow to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Tear the dough in half and knead each half  for about 1 minute with floured hands on floured surface.  Loosely shape into a ball and place dough, with folded side up, on a greased and floured baking sheet.  Allow to rise for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Reshape dough balls if needed.  Bake for 30 minutes or until well-risen and browned. Remove the bread and cool on a cooling rack or slice immediately for that nummy warm bread taste!

It makes two regular sized loaves that serves 4-6 people each loaf.

Even though I live in Denver and baking can often be a challenge, this bread turned out beautifully without any additional alterations.

This recipe was adapted from one that I found on: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/10-easy-bread-recipes8.htm