Simple homemade bread: This is a simple recipe, ideal to start experimenting with bread. It is a simplified version of the French recipe for "pistolets".

  • 6 g of fresh yeast: dissolve the yeast in 100ml of water (room temperature) and wait for the bubbles, around 10 minutes (you can substitute dried yeast in this step: in this case 3 g, i.e., half a sachet, should be enough).

  • Mix 800 g of flour (strong) and 20 g (1 spoon) of salt:

  • Add 350ml of water (room temperature is fine) and the dissolved yeast. NOTICE: the amount of water may change with different kind of flour. Stir initially with a spoon:

  • Remove from the bowl and start kneading. You have to knead for at least 10 minutes, until you have a smooth dough:

  • Cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for around 3 hours (I usually use my oven). This is the final result:

  • Remove from the bowl and knead the dough for 5 or 6 minutes. Then, split the dough in small balls and place them on baking paper:

  • Leave to rise for 20 minutes more or less, then place in the oven at 220 C for 14 minutes. NOTICE: time and temperature may vary with your oven, you should try different configurations. This is the final result:

Various notes: you may use this recipe as a starting point, but different flour, yeast, oven may change things a bit. I use a baking stone and I slide the paper in the oven, see this step and the picture in the recipe for homemade ciabatta.
I use less yeast than what is usually prescribed because I don't like the taste of yeast in bread. If you dough does not rise, chances are you did not knead enough, it's not yeast's fault!