A Tutorial on How to Make Sicilian Bread

Sicilian bread is easy to make, but it does take a little time because it's a yeast rising bread. However, there is no need to worry as I give exquisite details. In the end, you will be a pro and will have a new recipe to include in your recipe box. Sicilian Bread is a go-to bread in our house. I make it quite often for the family and when we are expecting company. Pair it with a hearty supper such as pasta, stews, or soups for a complete meal. It also makes a nice breakfast bread that you can toast and then add some of your favorite toppings. Ready? Let's begin. Sicilian Bread Recipe By- Heather Earles This recipe makes two loaves. Prep Time: 4 hours Oven Temperature: 400 degrees Fahrenheit Cooking Time: 40 plus minutes depending on stove type Ingredients and measurements: Active Dry Yeast, 1 Tablespoon, or 1 packet.Warm water, 2 1/2 cups.Salt, 1 Tablespoon (I use a little less)Unbleached all-purpose flour, 5 + cups.Olive oil, 1-2 Tablespoons.Lard/shortening, enough to cover the bottom of the pan.Cornmeal, enough to sprinkle on the bottom of a pan. Items needed: loaf pan, 2 or cookie sheet, 1Large bowl, 1Measuring cupsMeasuring spoonsKitchen towelCooling Rack Directions: Take your large bowl and measure 4 1/2 cups of flour into it. Now make a well in the center. In your glass measuring container, add 2 1/2 cups of warm water. If you do not have a measuring container that can hold 2 1/2 cups, use a small glass bowl. Once the water is in the bowl, add your packet or 1 Tablespoon of yeast. Let sit for five minutes. Now add your 1 Tablespoon of salt. If you prefer less salt, use the desired amount. Stir into the yeast mixture until dissolved. When the salt is dissolved, pour the mixture into the center of your flour well. Cover and let sit for fifteen minutes. This is called sponging.When your twenty minutes is up, remove the towel. You should see little bubbles on the top. Start stirring with a fork from the center of the flour and work your way toward the outside until you have a sticky dough. From here, keep adding flour and knead your dough until you have a spongy, not sticky, consistency. In other words, when you press on the dough slightly after kneading it, the dough should spring slightly back.  Add your olive oil on top and roll dough around in it, so the olive oil covers all sides. Place a towel over the top and let rise until dough is double in size. Once it has risen, make a fist and press down in the middle of the dough to deflate it. Place the cover back over the top and let the dough rise again.While the dough is rising, you can prepare your pans or cookie sheet. With your fingers or a paper towel, rub lard or shortening on the bottom, and a little up the sides if using loaf pans. Now, sprinkle your cornmeal or flour on the bottom and tip over pans or cookie sheets to remove any excess. Next, split the dough in half and shape each piece into an oblong form to fit into two loaf pans or on your cookie sheet. Cover one more time and let rise.Once desired height is reached, place the pans into your already heated oven.Set a cup of water or bowl in the oven if you want a chewy crust.Cook for 40 minutes depending on your type of oven or until the bottom is golden and the bread sounds hollow when you flick the top of a loaf with your finger. In the picture, you will see two loaves of finished Sicilian Bread. The first one has nothing on it, while the second I have rubbed a little more olive oil on the top to give it a golden hue. Let finished bread cool on a wire rack and serve with a homemade soup or fresh with a little butter and honey. Enjoy your new recipe, and remember to share it with a friend! Heather EarlesHeather is married to a retired Special Forces Officer, and they live on a sustainable farm with their four children. She is an established author of inspiration, fiction, and children’s books; a journalist, a stay-at-home mother, and an advocate for healthy living. She publishes a weekly blog and podcast (Herb ‘N Wisdom™) and writes for two newspapers to aid and inspire others. “I want to make people feel good about life.” Learn more about the author