Semolina Bread

Instructions

Whisk the yeast into the warm water in a medium bowl and leave it for 10 minutes. It is ready when the edges look frothy.

Stir in the oil and salt, then mix the semolina flour and bread flour together and stir them into the liquid until fully blended. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Cover it and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth, then turn it in an oiled bowl to coat it. Let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature. It is proofed when a finger pressed gently into the top leaves a dent that does not spring back.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rough rectangle with the long edge facing you. Roll it up tightly into a log and pinch the ends to seal. Turn it over and roll it gently back and forth to the length you want, then shape any further loaves the same way.

Set the loaves side by side, seam side up, on a parchment-lined baking sheet turned upside down. Cover them and let them rise for 30 minutes while the oven heats.

For the best crust, put a baking or pizza stone on the middle shelf and an empty baking dish on the bottom shelf. Without a stone, bake on the upside-down parchment-lined sheet. Preheat the oven to 475°F for 30 minutes.

Lightly beat the egg with a little water and brush it over the tops of the loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cut three slashes in each loaf with a sharp knife or blade.

Bake one or two loaves at a time, sliding the parchment and loaves carefully onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of water into the dish on the lower shelf and shut the door quickly to hold in the steam. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden on top and 200°F inside, checking often since ovens vary.

Cool the loaves on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.