Semolina Bread Recipe

Sponge

1. Mix the 1 cup of bread flour, water, honey, olive oil, and yeast in a mixing bowl until well combined.
2. Sprinkle the semolina flour, remaining ¾ cup of bread flour, and additional ½ teaspoon of yeast on top of the sponge.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at warm room temperature for one to three hours until the sponge is bubbling through the covering bread and semolina flours.

Semolina bread

1. Mix until the dough starts to come together, and then add the salt. If using a stand mixer, switch from the paddle to the dough hook at this time.
2. Knead the dough for 10 to 12 minutes by hand or 8 to 10 minutes using a stand mixer. The dough will be elastic and should pass the windowpane test. It may still feel gritty. The final dough should feel tacky but not sticky, so add a teaspoon of water or a tablespoon of flour at a time during the kneading, as necessary.
3. Cover again with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in the bowl until doubled in size. This will take two to three hours.
4. Punch the dough down and shape into a sandwich loaf. Place into a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan greased with butter or sprayed with baking spray.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and let the semolina bread rise one last time until the dough has risen one inch above the edge of the pan.
6. While the bread is rising, preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the bread is 190°. The bottom of the bread should sound hollow when thumped.
8. Let cool for at least one hour prior to slicing.