Italian-American bread

In the stand mixer bowl, stir the yeast and sugar into 2 cups of 110F water; set aside 10 minutes until very foamy. If it is not foamy, start over.

Add 360 g flour, sprinkled in slowly on the scale, the salt and one tablespoon olive oil; stir with a spatula.

Measure the remaining 300 g flour. Fit the dough hook and mix on low, adding the flour half a cup at a time, scraping the bowl down as you go.

Mix on medium-low about 5 minutes until the dough develops structure and pulls away from the bowl.

If it is sticky rather than tacky and not pulling away, add flour a tablespoon or two at a time while mixing on medium-low; mix two more minutes.

Oil a large bowl, add the dough, flip once, cover and rise in a warm place about an hour until doubled. Alternatively refrigerate up to 24 hours, then let it come to room temperature about an hour before shaping.

Press the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured counter; divide into two roughly equal pieces with a bench scraper.

Form each into a ball: pinch the edges together, turn it over on an unfloured surface, and cup and pull it towards you, turning, to build tension.

On a floured surface, stretch and roll each piece into an 8 by 11 inch oval; flip and re-stretch.

Roll up from a long side, pinch the seam and edges closed, tuck or pinch the ends, and place seam side down on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush gently with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil for a golden crust.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and rise until noticeably puffed, 30 to 40 minutes.

Twenty minutes into the rise, fill a 9 by 13 inch dish with half an inch of water and set it on the bottom rack, with a rack in the middle; preheat the oven to 375.

Make three diagonal cuts in each loaf with a sharp knife or lame.

Bake at 375 for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating after 20, until golden and hollow-sounding when the bottom is tapped.

Cool a minute, then transfer to a wire rack so the bottoms do not get steamy; slice once at room temperature.