Instructions

  1. Mix and knead together all of the ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until the dough is smooth and supple, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise until puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan and set it aside.
  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8" log.
  5. Place the log in the prepared pan, cover the pan loosely with greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it's crowned about 1" above the edge of the pan.
  6. Bake the bread for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. Its interior will register 195°F on an instant-read thermometer when it's done.
  7. Remove the bread from the oven, turn it out of the pan, and cool it on a rack before slicing.
  8. Store for 5 days well-wrapped at room temperature, or freeze for 3 months.

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