Preparation time: 5 to 7 hours
Expense: 5 euros

It is not always easy to get the basics of the Tuscan cuisine readily available. The most basic and most simple ingredient to find when you are in Tuscany, yet almost impossible when you are not in Tuscany, is bread. Tuscan bread is used in Tuscan recipes in all its forms: sliced, diced, crumbled, and stale. There are very few traditional Tuscan recipes that do not include bread among their ingredients, therefore it is important to have a source of Tuscan bread readily available.
This simple recipe to make Tuscan bread at home will surely give you a lot of satisfaction, both economic and at your table. What you may be able to find at a gourmet store for an exaggerated amount of money, indeed can be done at home with few euros and a lot of fun. You may even invite people over to make bread as a wonderful way to be and create something special together.

Ingredients:
- 600 grams of flour (preferably of different types)
- 10 grams of olive oil
- 1/2 cube (12 grams) brewers yeast
- 360 grams water
- pinch of sugar

Preparation:
The best bread flour is obtained mixing different kinds. Usually a mixture of flour 0, and 00 flour in equal parts is used.

Using a glass and a plastic or wooden spoon, dissolve the yeast in the warm water adding a pinch of sugar and let rest for ten minutes. Start kneading all the ingredients taking care not to pour all the water immediately. Add the water a little at a time until you get a smooth and elastic dough. Set in a warm place to rise covering with a dry towel for two hours.

If you have enough time, go through a second rising process, kneading the dough and letting rise again, otherwise prepare three large buns of equal size, cover them well with flour and place them on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Flouring the loaves serves the purpose to dry their surface and get the typical crust of Tuscan bread.
Let the loaves rise for 2 hours covered with a table cloth and, if possible, with a nylon sheet taking care not to impede the rising. Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and then bake the bread for about 30 minutes. Buon Appetito!

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