French Bread

               French Bread recipe
 









(this amount makes 3 small loaves or 2 large):
2 1/2 c. warm water
2 T. yeast
3 T. sugar
2 T. white vinegar Add these ingredients together and let sit until bubbly
1 T. salt
1/3 c. oil
5 1/2-6 c. flour (or a little more if it's too soft)
Mix first 4 ingredients together and let sit until bubbly, then mix in rest of ingredients.  Dough--can be a little soft, if too sticky, add a little more flour. Knead for 2-5 minutes, then place bowl in oven with a pan of boiling water to keep it moist and rise faster. Watch the dough and punch it down when it gets to the top of the mixing bowl. Do this every time it gets to the top of the bowl, as long as you have time to babysit it (2-4 times). 




Put the dough on a greased countertop and divide into 3 sections. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal on the bottom of the sheet.











Roll the dough balls into rectangle/long French bread shapes. Slash tops of bread diagonally 3-5 times and cover with a beaten egg. Let rise 30 minutes (or until doubled)on the counter, or you can put them in your oven at 170 and wait until they are the size you want to cook them at. Once they are to the right size, turn up your stove to 375 (without opening the door!) and let them bake until done. Or, just raise on the counter and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Serve warm. Enjoy! I baked this bread last night and it was excellent, got the recipe from Deals to Meals.