- 2
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all purpose white flour, plus more as needed
- Scant 1 1/2 teas table salt
- 3/4 teas instant, fast rising, or bread machine yeast
- 1 1/2 cups ice water, plus more if needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing loaf top
Preparation
Step 1
FIRST RISE:
In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, salt, and yeast. Vigorously stir in the water, scraping down the bowla nd mixing until the dough is thoroughly blended. Vigorously stir in the olive oil. If the mixture is too stiff to incorporate all the flour, stir in just a little more ice water, but don't over moisten, as it should be slightly stiff. If too wet, stir in enough more flour to firm it slightly. Evenly brush top lightly with more olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. IF desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 15 hours.
SECOND RISE:
Spray two 9x12 inch sheets of baking parchment with nonstick spray, then dust each with 1/4 cup flour, mounding it just slightly in the center. Line a very large rimless baking sheet (or the back of a rimmed sheet) with a new sheet of baking parckment; dust the parchment with flour.
Using a well oiled rubber spatula, gently loosen the dough from the bowl sides all the way around, trying not to deflate it any more than necessary. Using well oiled kitchen shears and working so as to deflate the dough as little as possible, cut it in half, then turn out each portion onto the prepared parchment sheets. Dust the dough tops with flour. With well oiled fingertips, very gently push and pat each portion out into an oblong or slipper, about 9x5 1/2 inches; don't worry about being exact. Then push in teh sides so the middle of each slipper is narrower than its heel and toe. Gently run a flour dusted wide bladed spatula under the slippers to loosen them from the parchment. One at a time, lift up the loaves and invert them, spaced as far apart as possible, onto the parchment lined baking sheet; the cribnkled, floured look is traditional, so don't brush off all the excess flour. Readjust the dough to re from the slipped shapes, if necessary. Press deep indentations, or dimples, in the slippers all over with flour dusted fingertips. Tent the baking sheet with nonstick spray coated foil.
LET RISE USING EITHER OF THESE METHODS:
For a 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough has doubled from the deflated size, removing the foil as the dough nears it.
BAKING PRELIMINARIES:
20 minutes before baking time, place a rack in lowest position in the oven; preheat to 500. Set a broiler pan on the oven floor.
BAKING:
Add a cup of ice water to the broiler pan, being careful of splattering and steam. Reduce the temperature to 475 and bake on the lowest rack for 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaves are golden and crusty. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few crumbs on the tip (or until the center registers 208 to 210) to be sure the centers are done. Then place the pan on the floor of the oven for 2 to 4 minutes to brown the bottoms of the loaves; life them up to check. Let stand for 10 minutes on the pan. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack, and let stand until cooled.