Family Italian Bread

National Festival of Breads Finalist
Mardi Traskowsky, Herington, KS

Prep Time: 3 hours
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2 loaves, 16 slices each

Ingredients

2 cups water (80° - 85°F) 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
¼ cup sour cream 
¼ cup honey 
2 teaspoons salt 
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning 
2 garlic cloves (1 tablespoon), minced 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
1 cup quick- cooking oats 
3 cups King Arthur 100% Whole Wheat Flour 
1- 1 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour, divided 
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten 
1 (¼ ounce) package rapid rise yeast 

TOPPING

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, divided 
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, divided 

Instructions

  1. Layer ingredients into bread machine in order given. Set the bread machine on DOUGH cycle. Check the dough after 5 minutes. Dough should form a soft ball around the kneading blade. Add water sparingly. If dough is too dry, add water sparingly. If dough is too wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. 
  2. When cycle is done, remove dough from machine. Divide dough in half. Roll each half of dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Starting with shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into roll. Pinch edges and ends to seal. Place loaves, seam-side down, into two greased 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pans. Sprinkle tops of loaves with grated Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. 
  3. Cover; let loaves rise until double in size, 45 to 60 minutes. Bake in preheated 375°F oven 40 to 45 minutes or until done. Tent the bread loosely with foil if the bread browns too quickly. Remove from pans; cool on wire rack. 

Makes 2 loaves, 16 slices each.

Nutrition Information

One slice provides approximately 94 calories; 3 g protein; 16 g carbohydrates; 2 g dietary fiber; 2 g fat (1 g saturated); 4 mg cholesterol; 20 mcg folate, 1 mg iron and 159 mg sodium. 

Baker’s Bio

Mardi is our first ever Youth Category winner, with Family Italian Bread. From Herington, KS, Mardi enjoys spending her time swimming, doing dance team, cheerleading and 4H. She has been baking and taking food to her county fair since she was 8 years old. Her Italian bread is her most requested baked good and she loves to make it for friends and family. As a high school student Mardi treasures the times she gets to sleep in, eat bacon, and hang out with her friends.