Easy Italian Bread

Combine all ingredients (except corn meal) in a large bowl and mix well by hand or with a wooden spoon. Add up to 1 cup additional flour if dough is too wet or sticky.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes.

Oil a large bowl and place dough inside. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise 1 – 1 1/2 hours in a warm place.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and fold over a few times. Pat into an oblong shape and cut in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Place both loaves, cut side up, on a baking sheet sprinkled lightly with corn meal. (Can also be baked on a baking stone placed on lowest shelf of oven, preheated and sprinkled lightly with cornmeal.) Bake bread in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350 F and continue to bake for 40 minutes. Bread is done when outside is evenly browned and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Allow bread to cool some before slicing—if you can wait!