Crusty Italian Bread

Hey Lexus - you haven't heard the last of me.  Here's the abbreviated version of WHY I have a score to settle with Lexus.🚘  I took my one year old car to the service center at the dealership because I was getting showered with water through the sunroof whenever I took my car through a car wash.🧽  Not just a few drops of water either. 🤣  

The official response that I got from the dealership was that the water that was entering the cabin of the car was "not excessive".🤷🏻‍♀️ After the service manager handed me this paperwork, he looked right at me (with a straight face) and said that the sunroof did in fact leak, when they ran it through their car wash but... it was an "acceptable" amount of water. 😳  WHAT?!? 

So Lexus, my question for you is: What is the "acceptable" amount of water to enter the cabin of a vehicle because my expectation was zero water leaking through the sunroof of my new car. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I've made my opinion known to Lexus through an email, a feedback survey and a phone call but as of today, there is still no plan of action to remedy the situation.  I guess I'll just be wearing my rain coat through the car wash from now on. ☔️🤣

Just to be clear - I'm not opposed to getting wet.🤣 I actually enjoy a good spray of water --- in right circumstances.💦  Just not while I'm inside my car. 😅  There are days when I'm thankful to be a blogger so I can air all my grievances.  I'm not sure food bloggers are supposed to share their car problems on a recipe blog but... oh well.  😂😂😂  On to the recipe of the day. 

Water is essential in the kitchen.  It's one of only 4 ingredients in my Italian bread recipe and arguably, one of the most critical elements.  Too hot and it kills the yeast.  Too cold and it won't activate it.  Too much water and the dough will be too sticky.  Too little and it will be tough.🥖

Yeast breads can be tricky but if you can learn to get the water right - you'll have no problem.  I've already worked out the water quantity for this Crusty Italian Bread so all you have to do is follow the recipe and make sure that your temperature is right.  If you've got a thermometer - shoot for water between 120 and 130 degrees.  

Crusty Italian Bread
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water

Combine flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl.  

Add water and stir to combine.  

Transfer bowl to a greased, proofing bowl.   

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 3 hours. 

Place cast iron pan in oven and preheat to 425.  Fill a glass dish with 2" water and place in the bottom of the oven while it heats. 

Gently turn dough out onto a parchment circle.  Sprinkle the top with flour.  Place dough into hot skillet. 

Bake 30-40 minutes.  

Slice.  

I made dozens of loaves of this scrumptious bread over the holidays and passed them out to friends and neighbors along with a bottle of olive oil.  I figured it might be a nice change from all of the sweets that we eat around Christmas.  I hope that you enjoy this as much as I do. 

Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe