A delicious homemade bread made with Italian seasoning and baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
2-5cupsall-purpose flour
3Tablespoonsgranulated sugar
1/2teaspoonsalt
1Tablespooninstant yeast
3/4cupwarm water
2 1/2Tablespoonsbuttersoftened at room temperature, plus additional for brushing
1large egg
1TablespoonItalian seasoning
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Stir well to combine dry ingredients and then make a well in the center. Pour the warm water into the well and add the butter and egg. Stir well to combine and form a soft dough.
Knead the dough by hand until it appears elastic and forms a soft well ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding up to one cup more flour as needed. (Note: This is a stickier dough - it will not form the same cohesive ball as a harder, proofed dough. Avoid the temptation to add more than 3 cups of flour.)
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm area of your kitchen to rise for 2 hours.
Once the dough has risen, grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough and form the dough into a log. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the plastic wrap and kitchen towel back over the dough and allow to rise again for 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Brush the risen dough with melted butter and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through. Brush with additional butter while still warm. Slice and enjoy.
Notes
The warm water needs to be around 105 F. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast and your bread won't rise. Make sure to work with the dough and not over mix or add too much flour or it will make denser or crumbly bread.