Ingredients
1 pack active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon salt
5 cups all purpose flour
Cornmeal or flour for dusting the baking board
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons of water
Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Cover the mixture and let stand for about twenty minutes. The yeast should form a foam on the top. In a separate large mixing bowl, mix together the salt and flour. Mix the flour and yeast mixtures together a little bit at a time by adding the flour to the yeast one cup at a time. As you ad the flour, the dough will start to form. When all the flour is added, knead the dough for about 10 to 15 minutes until it is elastic and no longer sticky. Grease a big bowl. You can use the one you mixed the yeast or dough in. Place the ball of kneaded dough into the bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The dough should double in size. Using a large baking board or cookie sheet that will hold both loaves of bread, sprinkle some cornmeal or flour. Cornmeal works better, but flour will do.In a bowl, mix together the egg whites and water. Brush the mixture on top of the loaves of bread Place the loaves on the center rack of a cold oven then place a shallow baking pan on the rack below the loaves. Fill the shallow pan with 1 cup boiling water Wait 10 minutes and then turn the oven on to 400 degrees and let bake for 35 minutes. The internal temperature of the loaves should be 200 degrees. The loaves should be golden and a little crusty.
