Italian Bread

mmmm, fresh baked bread.   just give me some butter and i could eat this entire loaf in one sitting.  italian bread is relatively simple to make.  it takes some time, but it is technically very easy.  that being said, messing up a few minor details could destroy the loaf and render it inedible.

it boggles my mind that recipes for bread and other pastries don't stress the importance of oven control.  most recipes just say to throw it in the oven at a so and so temperature and wait for x amount of time and walaa, bread is finished.  NO.  this is not how it works.

this ENTIRE recipe has been a practice of figuring out how to control the oven, making adjustments in temperature, timing, and position.

the top and bottom of the bread has to be seen as 2 completely different entities and you must adjust how high or low you bake your bread depending on how the crust forms.

how long you heat up your baking stone will have a dramatic effect on your bottom crust.

baking at a blazing 500 degrees mimics an artisanal brick oven right?  nope.  it's too hot and will create a thick hard crust that will basically cut your gums because of how hard it is.

STICKING WILL DESTROY YOUR LOAF.  Please, do not underestimate sticking.  RESPECT IT.  I have literally thrown out  4-5 loaves, hours of work, because it stuck to either the counter, parchment paper, or plastic wrap.

temperature control is important when proofing.  If you proof at too low of a temperature, the bread will not ferment and the bread will be bland.  If you proof at too high of a temperature, the bread will over ferment and become acidic and bitter.

This recipe requires a baking stone.  Invest in one.  They are 50 bucks and they last forever and improve the quality of all your breads.  Can you make it without it?  Yes, but I cannot speak for how to go about doing that, since I never made this without a baking stone.

This bread does not last long and will become stale within 1 day.  If making this, plan on eating all of it within that day.


ingredients:
Biga - this is a pre-ferment, a baking technique used to create extra flavor.
1.  11 ounces bread flour (2 cups)
2.  1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
3.  7.9 ounces water (1 cup), room temperature

Dough
4.  16 1/2 ounces bread flour (3 cups), plus extra for dusting hands and work surface
5.  1 teaspoon instant yeast
6.  10.6 ounces water (1 1/3 cups), room temperature
7.  3 teaspoons table salt, not kosher salt

8.  Stand mixer
9.  baking stone
10.  parchment paper
11.  baking tray
12.  Silicone spatula

note: - all resting should be done at room temperature (70 degrees).  if you go colder than this, the dough will under ferment and the resulting bread will be bland.  If you go warmer than this, the resulting bread will over  ferment and becoming acidic and off tasting.

recipe:
biga
1.  Combine flour, yeast, and water in bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Knead on lowest speed for 1 minute. Transfer biga to medium bowl using a silicone spatula.
2.  Lightly spray a sheet of plastic wrap with oil then cover the bowl tightly.  let stand at room temperature (70 degrees) until beginning to bubble and rise, about 3 hours. Refrigerate biga at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
note: - I have at many times, skipped the refrigeration process and simply allowed my biga to rise at at room temperature for a MINIMUM of 4 hours before continuing with the recipe.  It turned out great, with a nice sour, complex flavor.

dough
3.  Remove biga from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while making dough. Combine flour, yeast, and water (NO SALT) in bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook.  knead on lowest speed for 1 minute until rough dough is formed.
4.  Turn mixer off and, without removing dough hook or bowl from mixer, cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes.
5.  Remove plastic wrap, add biga and salt to bowl.  Mix on lowest speed for 2 minutes, then mix for another 2 minutes on speed 2.
6.  Remove dough hook and using the silicone spatula, scrape down any dough from the hook into the bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap, place at room temperature and let rest for 1 hour.
7.  Remove plastic wrap and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.  fold the dough in half width wise, then in half again length wise, forming a rough square.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour.
8.  For optimum flavor and texture, you should repeat this folding process 1 more time, but I have skipped the second folding and the resulting bread was still amazing.
9.  Flip over a baking tray so it is upside down and place a sheet of parchment onto the bottom, now top side of it.  Dust the parchment liberally with flour (don't skip this part or the dough will stick when forming later!!!).  The reason we invert the tray is because it is easier to slide off the dough from it later on.  
10.  Liberally dust a work surface with flour.  Don't skimp on the flour or else the dough will stick profusely.  Also, don't form this on floured parchment.  I, for some reason, thought this would be a good idea, and ALL the dough stuck to the parchment and was completely ruined.
11.  Using a silicone spatula, dump dough onto floured work surface.  Shape the dough by simply rolling it up, tightly, into a loaf shape.  Don't overly shape or lengthen the dough at this stage.  You want the seam side down, so rotate the loaf accordingly.  Pick up the loaf with 2 hands, then transfer it to the floured parchment on the baking tray.
12.  Even out the shape of the dough with your fingers by targeting spots that are thicker than others.  Approach the loaf so that it is running north to south, and that you have 1 hand on each side of the loaf.  Using your fingers only, push your fingers under the dough, one hand on each side, as if you were going to pick it up.  Push and pinch the dough under itself while simultaneously stretching the dough by either pulling it up or down, towards which ever side is thinner.  Do this for all thick areas of the dough and try to even it out as best as possible.
13.  The dough should be approximately 14 inches long but it doesn't have to be perfect.  Just be wary that it will grow and lengthen a few inches as it rises and bakes, so don't make it too long.
14.  Spray 2 sheets of plastic wrap with oil then cover the loaf and allow to rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
note: - OIL THE PLASTIC WRAP.  flouring the top of the loaf is both unnecessary and ineffective.  I used to only flour the top before placing on the plastic wrap, and taking it off was pain staking, as much of the dough stuck to the plastic wrap and caused deflating and deforming.  I have had 2 loaves completely ruined by this step alone.
15.  Adjust oven rack to LOWER MIDDLE position and place baking stone on top.  HEAT THE OVEN FOR EXACTLY 20 MINUTES ON 425 DEGREES.  Time the final proofing of the dough, and after exactly 40 minutes, turn on the oven to 425 so that after 20 more minutes the dough and oven will be ready at the same time.
note: - a 20 min pre-heat gets the baking stone perfectly hot.  any more/less preheating would
overbake/underbake the bottom of the loaf because of the temperature difference of the baking stone.
16.  When ready to bake, carefully take off the plastic wrap.  Using a serrated knife, make 3 cuts on the top of the loaf 1/2" deep.  DON'T PUSH DOWN ON THE KNIFE.  Simply allow the sawing motion, with slight pressure, to make the cuts for you.  Space them evenly apart and stop 1" from the sides.
17.  Using a spray bottle or bowl of water with a silicone pastry brush, lightly but thoroughly coat the top of the loaf with water.
18.  Bring the sheet tray to the oven.  Open the over door and PULL OUT THE OVEN RACK about 40%.  Put the long side of the baking tray so it is touching and flush with the side of the baking stone so there is zero gap between the two.  Carefully slide the parchment and loaf onto the baking stone.  Push in the oven rack and close the oven door.  Bake for 15 minutes.
note: - my oven is somewhat small, so for me to attempt to slide the loaf directly into the oven is dangerous because my hand will be directly in the oven and it is HOT AS FUCK.  Because of this reason, it is easy to make a mistake when sliding in the parchment and I've had a loaf literally stick to the side of the oven because of this.  If your oven is bigger, it will obviously be easier to slide in the loaf, BUT it is still good practice to slide out the oven rack when placing things into it.
19.  After 15 minutes, quickly open the oven door, and use the parchment to rotate the loaf.  reduce the temperature to 400 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes.
20.  After 25 minutes, take the internal temperature of the loaf, it should read around 200 degrees.  I've never had a loaf need longer than 40 minutes total, but ovens vary.
21.  Remove the loaf from oven and allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
note: - I sometimes remove the entire baking stone from the oven when the bread is done.  If doing this, make sure to take the bread OFF the baking stone to let it cool or else the bottom of the crust will continue to cook and get very very hard.
22.  If the bread ever loses its crunch, just pop it into the toaster for 2 minutes.  It will come out beautifully warm and toasty.