Italian Bread Baked on a Pizza Stone

Delicious Italian bread made in the bread machine and then baked on a pizza stone. Wonderful!

Step: 1

Place flour, brown sugar, warm water, salt, olive oil and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.

Step: 2

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Oven must be preheated at least 30 minutes before baking.

Step: 3

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Form dough into two loaves. Place the loaves seam side down on a cutting board generously sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Step: 4

In a small bowl, beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the risen loaves with egg mixture. Make a single long, quick cut down the center of the loaves with a sharp knife. Gently shake the cutting board to make sure that the loaves are not sticking. If they stick, use a spatula or pastry knife to loosen. Slide the loaves onto the pizza stone with one quick but careful motion.

Step: 5

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Per Serving: 93 calories; protein 3g; carbohydrates 16.3g; fat 1.6g; cholesterol 9.3mg; sodium 179mg.

The quality of the flour could make a real difference to your bread. Different makers do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are naturally higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard dough flours – especially if you’re making wholemeal dough , which doesn’t always getting bigger as well as white bread.

To made this in a dough , add all the menus to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A bread first rising can be done in the fridge 24 hours . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great limit , as you can work it yesterday , then clear it off the next day.