We will bake some Muffaletta Bread. I will use a bread machine for the dough and then I will bake the loaves in the oven. I will make individual loaves.
It is very convenient to make the dough in a bread machine but you can also do it by hand. It is harder, though.
I like to use some whole wheat flour in my Muffaletta. These are the ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 cup and 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
If you use a bread machine, you should follow the directions of your machine.
What I do with mine is the following. The first thing is to put the ingredients in the machine. I put the water first, then the olive oil, the sugar and the salt. Then I will mix the bread flour, the unbleached all purpose flour and the whole wheat flour. I will do this in a bowl and once this is done, I will add all the flour to the machine. Then I will add the yeast. I will use my bread machine to knead the dough selecting the program for it. When the dough cycle is over, I will leave the dough in the machine for an hour. That should make the dough grow a bit, but do not let the dough collapse. If you see that the dough is collapsing, remove it from the machine.
The next step is making the Muffaletta loaves. I will grease a tray and take the dough from the machine. I will make four loaves with the dough, giving the loaves the shape we want. When making the loaves, it is important not to manipulate the dough too much. Once the loaves are shaped, I will sprinkle some sesame seeds on them. Now we will let the loaves rest for half an hour.
And the next step is baking. We will preheat the oven to 425ºF. I will put the loaves in the oven and I will keep them there for about 25 minutes. Have a look to your bread and when it is ready, turn off the oven.
Now you will have your Muffaletta loaves, ready to make your sandwich. Enjoy your Muffaletta!