Italian Puff Bread
This homemade Italian Puff Bread is made with only six simple ingredients. It's easy to bake and turns out with a crispy crust and a soft, airy inside. Whether you serve it for a meal or as an appetizer, its delightful aroma will fill your home.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 3 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 1/2 cups 00 flour or pizza flour
- 1/4 cup semolina
Instructions
- 1
Whisk together the active dry yeast, salt, olive oil, and warm water in a measuring cup or a small bowl.
- 2
Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and pour the olive oil mixture over it. Mix the ingredients and knead the dough with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook at medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Then, lower the speed to medium and continue kneading for an additional 3 minutes, until a smooth dough forms.
- 3
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it proof in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before use. Then, divide it into 4 equal portions.
- 4
Preheat the oven to 320°C (608°F) or to the highest temperature your oven can reach. Place the dough on a work surface, roll each piece into a ball, and gently flatten it with your palm. Stretch and rotate it to form a large disc, about 5mm thick. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- 5
Generously sprinkle semolina on the dough, then transfer it to the baking sheet. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until it’s puffy and browned on top and around the edges.