Bread Machine Italian Olive Oil Bread

The dough for this Italian Olive Oil Bread or PANE ALL'OLIO is made in the bread machine and baked on a baking stone to create a crisp, golden crust with a chewy interior.

All you do is make a sponge in the bread machine pan, let it stand for 8 hours to overnight, then make the dough using the dough setting. How easy is that!

Italian Olive Oil Bread (using the bread machine)
Recipe from Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine by Linda Eckhardt & Diana Collingwood Butts

Makes: 2 large rolls or 1 medium free-form round loaf

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil

Directions:

In the bread machine pan, combine half the flour, all the yeast, and half the warm water. Process on dough setting. Let the sponge sit in the bread machine for at least 8 hours or up to 24.

Break the dough ball up into 4 pieces, put it back into the machine, and proceed to make the bread. Add the remaining flour and water, the salt, sugar, and olive oil. Process on the dough setting.




At the end of the dough cycle, remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for a few seconds.

Dough in machine after dough setting is finished

Divide the dough into two pieces, cover with the bread machine pan, and let it rest for 5 minutes or so.



Preheat the oven with a stone in place on the middle rack for 30 minutes to 450°F.
Sprinkle a peel generously with cornmeal.

I used a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (greased with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal) to transfer the dough rather than a peel. The baking sheet only has a rim on one end so the loaf on the parchment paper will slide off easily.

Now, shape each piece of dough into a cigar-shaped roll about 8 inches long, fat in the middle, and tapered at both ends. Alternately, make one round free-form loaf or a 12-inch cigar-shaped roll. I decided to make one big cigar-shaped loaf rather than two smaller loaves. 

Place loaves on the peel for the final rising. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until the loaves are nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Just before baking, make a single, deep slash at a 45° angle in the top of each loaf with a razor blade or sharp knife. Spritz the loaves with water. Give the peel a trial shake before you open the oven door, then pop the loaves onto the stone to bake. Bake for 12 minutes at 450°F., spritzing the oven 5 or 6 times with water, then reduce the temperature to 375°F. and continue baking for 40 minutes more.



Remove the golden loaves immediately to cool on a rack. Store in brown paper.



I served this wonderful Italian bread with Italian Pot Roast and vegetables. It sure was good!  The slices have a crisp crust and chewy interior.


Happy Baking!
Cathy

Additional resources for bread machine bread:

• Making bread machine bread
• Bread machine recipes
• Adapt recipes for use in your bread maker