Italian
bread has been one of the staple foods
of Italy for as long as history has been
recorded. As in other European nations,
bread in Italy has been taken quite seriously
for a considerable amount of time. Therefore,
the Italians typically have their own
rigid standards when it comes to what
a good family-sized loaf of bread should
be. The basic criteria for an Italian
bread is that it is unsweetened, yeast-leavened,
and baked into a thick oblong loaf with
tapered ends.
While French bread is long, thin and
crusty, the typical Italian loaf is 1-2’
long and 6-10” thick with a fairly
thin crust. This is due to the yeast in
the bread being allowed to rise to its
fullest extent, generally over the course
of several hours. The inside of a well-made
Italian bread is moist and porous—ideal
for absorbing toppings such as olive oil
and tomatoes. However, Italian breads
of this sort do not store well for extended
periods of time.
Italian bread arrived in the United States
with the immigrants that arrived in the
18th century. Requiring little more than
salt, four, water and yeast for preparation,
it gained popularity quickly. Many variations
with seasonal or regional ingredients
have been added to Italian bread recipes
since it first arrived. Today it is commonly
used for deli sandwiches, on the side
of soup, and with olive oil for soaking
as an appetizer.
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