Whole Wheat Italian Bread & Whole Wheat French Bread

 This is a hearty rustic whole wheat bread. It reminds me of some bread I had at a restaurant in Pompei Italy, it was served with a very small amount of fresh green olive oil. I was surprised to be served whole wheat instead of white bread like we had in other Italian restaurants and so I remember asking my Zio if this was an "all natural" restaurant and he said, "What all natural, all food is natural?"
 Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour (remove 1/2 tablespoons to replace with the vital wheat gluten)
2 cups whole wheat flour  (Fluff both flours then spoon the flour into a measuring cup then scrape off top with flat end of a knife) 
11/2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten 
1 1/2tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
Tools
Kitchen Aid OR Food Processor OR 2 Hands!
Parchment linen sheet pan OR pizza stone and a paddle w/ parchment OR a flat pan's bottom with parchment

Directions

~Mixing & Kneading~

Food Processor Method: 
 Place all of the dry into the machine with the dough hook attached and mix on low for a few seconds.
While it is still running add most of the water and all of the oil through the shoot. If a ball forms then you don't need more of the liquid but if not add in the rest and maybe even slightly more water until it forms. It forms quickly! 
After a ball forms allow it to mix for 1 minute longer working out all of the bumps and forming an elastic ball. Remove the dough and place in an oiled bowl covered with an oiled sheet of plastic wrap.
Rest at least until a finger indention remains ( 2 hours) but the longer the better (I let it rise until it is to the top) 
Kitchen Aid Method:
Mix water & yeast in mixer until foamy, mix in most of the flour, salt & oil for a minute adding in the rest of or more flour until a scrappy dough ball forms, Mix for 10 minutes.

Oil up your hands and cover the ball of dough in oil, leave it in the Kitchen Aid bowl and cover with oiled plastic wrap.
Hand Method:
Mix most of the flour and salt and make a well. Add the yeast and liquid into the well. Stir the liquid and yeast together gradually adding in the flour from the edges to the middle. It will be messy,scrappy and sticky at first. Using your hands and a bench scraper or spatula start scraping the dough up and slapping it back down on to the counter, do this continually for 15-20 minutes (Adding more flour if needed) until it's smooth and elastic.Rest at least until a finger indention remains ( 2 hours) but the longer the better (I let it rise until it is to the top)

~Forming Loaf/Loaves: You can make 1 large or 2 medium from each dough recipe)~

Classic Italian Round Loaf:

.Punch down the dough and flour the counter. Form a ball by tucking and re-tucking the dough underneath it self. Dust very lightly with flour. If it tears then start over, you want a smooth top that is nice and compact.

Baguette loaf:
A true French bread has 2 rises before forming rather than 1 so punch it down after the first rise and allow it to rise a second and then proceed.


Punch down & roll or pat it out to a rectangular or oblong shape about the size of a sheet of loose leaf paper for 2 loaves (Ficelle) or a large sheet pan for 1 loaf (Baguette).

Roll it up (short ways) tucking in ends.

Roll dough forward and backward rapidly, gradually sliding your hands toward the two ends as the dough lengthens. Allow your finger tips and the bottom of your hands to touch the counter.

My Loaf:

 Start this out the same as the Baguette except that as you roll it allow the ends to be a bit thinner and the middle thicker. Then with your hands rolling bring the ends to a slight point.Rolled Loaf  It reminds me a huge croissant!

Roll dough out to form a rounded triangle were it is larger at one end and small at the other.

Now roll it up starting at the large and end and seal it at the tip.Place on the pan with the sealed side down.

~Baking & Slicing the top~

Place the loaf or loaves on  parchment on a sheet pan OR a piece of parchment on a flat pan's bottom for sliding or a paddle, cover and rise for 1 hour or until double.

Preheat the oven to 450 & and place a stone on the bottom rack

Rub olive oil on  a straight edge razor (carefully) just before using and then give it a good slit down the middle for the round loaf or 3 good slanted slits for the baguette just before baking. If you cut too deep it will flatten and look like a knee cap :) if not enough it will close back up. So about 1/4 inch at a 30 degree angle.

When the dough is ready slide the parchment sheet with the loaf in the oven on top of the stone, or place the sheet pan on the middle rack, throw 3 ice cubes in to oven close quickly & bake for 20 minutes. You can also egg wash the top if you want it browner. 

Bake 10 minutes

Then turn down to 375 and bake 35-45 minutes more. It will sound hollow when tapped and be golden brown. 

Cool for 2 hours on a rack.
. Place on rack to cool. Try really hard not to slice for at least 1 hour!