Soft Crusty Bread

During the recent Eid holidays I had a lot of time on my hands and the children asked me to bake bread.Bread making needs a warm temperature in order to activate the yeast so that the dough is properly risen,almost double the original size.Only then the end results will be effective.Even though it was not the right temperature that day, my kitchen had a little warmth to cope with the bread making procedures and to keep the yeast moving.Once you learn the basic techniques of bread making,you will find the recipe very easy to handle.Moreover you don't have to go through a  hassle finding the ingredients because they are found right in your kitchen.
Here's the recipe for a loaf of bread weighing 750 grams.Go ahead and try.

Ingredients

4 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 teaspoon  salt

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoon oil

1 ½  cup  lukewarm water

The Bread Making Technique

In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients and then add the oil and water ( use the water little by little till you get the correct consistency) and knead it to a soft dough.It should feel smooth and elastic to the touch.If its too wet add a little flour and knead again.Grease another bowl  and  place the dough in it covering  with cling film or cloth and leave it to activate in a warm place.When it doubles the size in 1-2 hours,shape it out like a rectangle log and put  it in a well greased  loaf pan. Leave it to rise for another hour and  then bake it in a pre heated oven at 350F for approximately 40-45 minutes.

Before baking-Don’t forget to slit a few times on top of the bread and brush with olive oil.

Pre- heat -the oven with a bowl of water in the lower rack of the oven so that the steam will enable the bread to get a lovely crust.

Add caption

Remove  the loaf from  pan and cool it on a wire rack.Once it's completely cooled,cut into thick slices and enjoy with garlic butter, jam or any other accompaniments  that go well with  bread.