James beard's cuban bread

2 Loaves

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1½ pack Active dry yeast
1 tablespoon Granulated sugar
2 cups Warm water (100-115 deg.)
1 tablespoon Salt
5 cups All-purpose or hard wheat flour plus 1 cup if necess.
3 tablespoons Yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon Egg white,mixed with 1Tbl. cold water

Directions

Source: Beard on Bread

Combine the yeast with sugar and warm water in a large bowl and allow to proof. Mix the salt with the flour and add to the yeast mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough. Remove to a lightly floured board and knead until no longer sticky, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary. Place in a buttered bowl and turn to coat the surface with butter.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.⅒ ½-2 hrs.

Punch down the dough. Turn out on a floured board and shape into two long, French bread-style loaves. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with the cornmeal, but NOT buttered. Slash the tops of the loaves diagonally in two or three places with a single edge razor blade or sharp knife, brush the loaves with the egg white wash. Place in a COLD oven, set the temperature at 400 degrees, and bake 35 minutes, or until well browned and hollow sounding when the tops are tapped.

From the recipe files of Suzy.Q

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