Braided Italian Bread

I wanted to bake something a little different from my usual whole wheat loaf. And I miss those Italian loaves and rolls from New Jersey. I found this recipe for a braided Italian loaf at King Arthur. After preparing the dough, I cut it into three portions and rolled each one into a long cylinder. I braided in an alternating pattern: left to right, then right to left.

This style of dough shaping tends to hide imperfections, a welcome relief. (Trust me, that isn't true of all dough shaping.) I brushed with egg white and sprinkled on sesame seeds; I probably should have used even more.

The result was both beautiful and delicious. Italian bread hits a delicate balance between heartiness and softness. This loaf didn't last long.

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