Poolish
- 1 cup bread flour
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- ¾ cup lukewarm water 90° to 100°F
Dough
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- ¾ cup lukewarm water 90° to 100°F
- Poolish from recipe above
- 2 tbsp olive oil (try less)
- 2 tbsp Kosher salt
- 2 cups semolina flour
- ¾ cup bread flour
Make the Poolish
- Stir together flour and yeast in a medium bowl. Stir in water until blended. Cover and let sit overnight in a warm spot.
Make the Dough
- In a medium bowl, add yeast and lukewarm water. Whisk together to combine and allow to sit for 10 minutes (unless you are using instant yeast). Stir in poolish from step 1, olive oil and salt until thoroughly blended. Add semolina flour and bread flour. Stir until combined. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for several minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a medium bowl lightly coated in vegetable oil, turning the dough to cover in oil. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for one hour or until a finger gently pressed into the dough does not immediately bounce back. If the dough does bounce back immediately, allow it to rest for a few more minutes, then check again.
Pre-Shaping
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide in half. Working with each portion separately, shape into a rough rectangle (6 x 9-inches) with the short edge closest to you. Starting with the far edge, roll the dough into a tight log. Repeat with second piece. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Final Shaping
- Flatten the dough again to a rough rectangle (6 x 9-inches) with a long edge toward you this time. Roll into a tight log, pinching to seal. Turn the loaf over and gently roll back and forth to about 14 inches long. Repeat with second loaf. Place loaves side-by-side on a piece of parchment paper set on top of an upside down baking sheet. Leave a few inches of room between the loaves to allow room for rising. Cover and let rise with seam side down for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- For best baking results, place an empty baking dish on the bottom shelf. Note: do not use a glass baking dish; be sure to use an aluminum baking pan. If you do not have a pizza stone, bake the loaves on the parchment on the overturned baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 475°F for 30 minutes.
Bake
- Gently and carefully slide the parchment paper and loaves onto the hot baking sheeet. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes until tops are golden brown and the internal temp is 200°F. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
2026 Good, but texture like Italian Bread from decades ago. Good flavor and crunch. Crust is great as toast.
Try to diminish amount of oil each time to see if it improves the texture.
Baked at 475° for 18 minutes, achieving an internal temperature of 208°.