This bread machine Italian bread recipe produces a delicious & rustic Italian bread. It uses simple ingredients such as flour, milk and olive oil. Our Italian bread is easy to make because the bread machine does the hard work of mixing & kneading the dough. Visit Bread Dad.com for more easy bread machine recipes.
Prep Time2 hourshrs45 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time3 hourshrs5 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Sandwich, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: bread machine italian, bread machine italian bread, bread machine italian bread recipe, Italian bread, italian bread recipe
Servings: 24Slices
Calories: 88kcal
Author: Bread Dad
Ingredients
1 1/4CupsMilk(lukewarm)
2TablespoonsOlive Oil
3 1/2CupsBread Flour
1TeaspoonWhite Granulated Sugar
2TeaspoonsBread Machine Yeast
1TeaspoonSalt
1TeaspoonDried Rosemary or Italian Seasoning(Optional)
1/8TeaspoonCoarse Salt(Optional - sprinkle a pinch of salt on top of the dough "loaf" just before baking)
Instructions
Unplug the bread machine.
Remove the bread pan from the bread machine. Pour the milk & olive oil into the bread pan and then add the rest of the ingredients (except optional coarse salt). Put the bread pan back into the unplugged bread machine.
Plug in the bread machine. Select the “Dough” setting and press the "Start" button on your bread machine.
When your bread machine has finished, unplug the machine & pour the dough onto a cutting board. Wear oven mitts (as the bread pan/bread machine may be hot). Sprinkle some flour on the cutting board (before you pour the dough) in order to avoid the dough sticking to the cutting board.
Make either 1 large loaf or 2 medium-sized loaves (by cutting the dough in half). Shape the dough so it looks like a large pill or fat torpedo. See tips section for more shaping information. FYI - The dough roll(s) should be about 1/2 of the width of your desired finished baked bread width (as the dough will expand before being placed in the oven).
Place the shaped dough onto a nonstick baking sheet.
Coat the dough with some extra olive oil. Use a small pastry brush.
Cover the dough & baking sheet with a light kitchen cloth or plastic wrap in order to protect from dust, insects, etc.
Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
During this “rising” time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
After the hour, remove the covering from the dough and “score” (slice) the top of each dough roll with a sharp knife. Make 3 diagonal slices about 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep and about 3-4 inches apart. This will help prevent the bread from cracking during baking.
Optional - Sprinkle a pinch of coarse salt (salt with large crystals) on the top of the oil-covered dough.
Place the baking sheet in the oven. It should bake at 450 degrees F for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Wear oven mitts.
At the 8-10 minute mark, turn the baking sheet around in order to ensure an even “browning” of the bread. Wear oven mitts.
Remove the baking sheet when done and place the bread to cool down on a cooling rack. Wear oven mitts.
Notes
This is a Bread Dad recipe and may not be copied or reproduced. This recipe is copyright protected under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Legal DisclaimerThe nutritional information is provided using recipe tools such as WP Recipe Maker. These figures should only be considered as an estimate. They should not be construed as a guarantee of accuracy given visitors may use different serving sizes, ingredients, etc. See our legal disclaimer for additional nutrition disclosures.