CRUSTY HERBED ITALIAN BREAD

Crusty Herbed Italian Bread image

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 10

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package yeast (rapid-rise recommended)
1 tsp sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried parsley

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil with water, yeast and salt. Let it sit for five minutes. Mix the herbs and sugar into the flour.
Stir in the flour mixture until the dough is stiff enough to knead. Add the flour a little bit at a time. Three cups flour is an approximate amount, your exact amount may vary. slightly
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic-just a few minutes.
Place dough in a greased bowl; cover and let rise until the dough has doubled. (about 45 minutes)
Form the dough into an oval free-form style loaf and place on greased baking sheet. (Dust baking sheet with flour first if desired and make slits in the top of the loaf for a nice finish when done.) Place immediately in a 375º F oven. Do not preheat the oven, the bread will rise some more as your oven heats up. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Note: if you use fresh herbs, triple the amounts shown in the ingredient list