Homemade Pane Bianco with Sun-Dried Tomatoes: An Easy & Flavorful Italian Bread Recipe

Don’t let the stunning appearance of Pane Bianco with Sun-Dried Tomatoes intimidate you. This elegant Italian bread, often found in artisan bakeries, is surprisingly simple to create in your own kitchen. Follow our detailed guide, and you’ll discover the joy of baking this light, airy, and incredibly flavorful loaf from scratch.

The name “Pane Bianco” literally translates to “white bread.” But make no mistake, this is far from an ordinary white bread. It boasts a beautifully porous interior, reminiscent of a soft focaccia, yet with its own distinct character. What truly sets this particular version apart is the vibrant burst of flavor packed into every bite, thanks to the addition of tangy sun-dried tomatoes, aromatic garlic, fresh basil, and savory shredded cheese.

Imagine a warm, tender slice of bread, bursting with Mediterranean flavors, perfect for dipping in olive oil, serving alongside a meal, or transforming into a gourmet sandwich. This Pane Bianco is not just bread; it’s an experience. Let’s dive into how you can achieve this amazing end result right at home.

Essential Ingredients for the Perfect Pane Bianco Dough

Creating a delicious loaf of Pane Bianco starts with a well-balanced dough. Here’s a list of the foundational ingredients you’ll need, each playing a crucial role in achieving that desirable light and airy texture:

• Unbleached bread flour: This is key for developing strong gluten, which gives the bread its structure and chewiness.
• Instant yeast: A convenient choice that doesn’t require proofing beforehand, making the process quicker and more straightforward.
• Salt: Essential for flavor, strengthening the gluten, and regulating yeast activity.
• Large egg: Adds richness, tenderness, and a lovely golden hue to the crumb.
• Lukewarm milk: Contributes to a softer crust and richer flavor compared to using only water. The warmth helps activate the yeast.
• Lukewarm water: Hydrates the flour and helps the yeast thrive. Maintaining a lukewarm temperature is crucial for optimal yeast activity.
• Olive oil: Adds moisture, flavor, and helps keep the dough tender and pliable.

Crafting Your Pane Bianco Dough: By Hand or Machine

For this recipe, we’ll guide you through making the dough entirely by hand. This demonstrates that you don’t need fancy equipment to achieve fantastic results – just a bowl, a spoon, and a little bit of elbow grease. However, if you prefer, a stand mixer or bread machine can certainly make the process even easier!

• Combine all dough ingredients in a bowl: Whether you’re using a large mixing bowl or the bucket of your bread machine, start by bringing all the listed dough ingredients together.
• Mix dry ingredients thoroughly: Before adding liquids, use a whisk to combine the unbleached bread flour, instant yeast, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the yeast and salt throughout the flour.
• Add wet ingredients: Pour in the large egg, lukewarm milk, lukewarm water, and olive oil.
• Mix and knead to a smooth, soft dough: Stir initially with a spoon, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface if kneading by hand. Knead for about 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and very soft to the touch. If using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix on low speed for 6-8 minutes. In a bread machine, simply select the dough cycle.
• Consistency check: When using a stand mixer, the dough should be slightly sticky and cling a bit to the bottom of the bowl, indicating proper hydration.

• First rise: Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, ensuring it has enough room to expand. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.
• Let it double in size: Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has visibly doubled in size. This usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes, but remember that rising times are merely a guide. Factors like room temperature, yeast activity, and humidity can all influence how quickly your dough rises. Always trust your eyes more than the clock: once it’s doubled, it’s ready.

The Flavorful Filling: Customization is Key!

While your dough is busy rising to perfection, it’s the ideal time to prepare the star ingredients for the filling. This is where the Pane Bianco truly gets its incredible character and where you can let your culinary creativity shine.

We absolutely love the combination of tangy sun-dried tomatoes, robust garlic, fragrant basil, and a blend of Italian cheeses. If you happen to have some of your homemade sun-dried tomatoes on hand, they would be perfect here! Otherwise, any good quality oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes will work beautifully. You could even use oven-roasted tomatoes for a slightly different, yet equally delicious, flavor profile.

This recipe is incredibly versatile, allowing for many delicious variations. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your favorite ingredients! For instance, try swapping the Italian cheese blend for shredded Asiago or Gruyere for a nuttier flavor. Instead of sun-dried tomatoes, consider roasted red peppers, or even a mix of both. For a milder garlic note, replace the minced raw garlic with roasted garlic. For a heartier bread, small bits of cooked ham or crispy bacon crumbles could be a delightful addition. The possibilities are endless, making this recipe truly adaptable to your taste.

What We Used for Our Flavorful Filling:

• Shredded Italian-blend cheese: A mix of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, and romano cheeses provides a rich, melty texture and classic Italian flavor.
• Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes: These intensely flavored tomatoes add a wonderful sweet-tart tang and a chewy texture. Make sure to drain them well.
• Fresh garlic: Minced garlic provides a pungent, aromatic kick that complements the other Mediterranean flavors.
• Fresh basil: The vibrant, peppery sweetness of fresh basil is indispensable, adding a touch of bright herbiness to the bread.

Once your dough has almost doubled in size, it’s ready for its delicious transformation. You’ll find this dough incredibly easy to work with – unlike some stubborn pizza doughs, it won’t fight you! You won’t even need a rolling pin; your fingertips will be enough to gently stretch it into the desired shape. And don’t worry about perfectly straight edges; this is a rustic bread, and its charm lies in its artisanal, slightly imperfect form.

• Prepare the sun-dried tomatoes: Thoroughly drain any oil from your sun-dried tomatoes. Pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, which could affect the dough. Use kitchen shears to cut them into small, manageable bits for even distribution.
• Chop the basil: Kitchen shears are also excellent for quickly slicing or chopping fresh basil leaves, ensuring clean cuts and preserving their delicate aroma.
• Deflate the dough: Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air. This step is crucial for developing a fine crumb structure.
• Shape the rectangle: On a lightly floured surface, flatten and pat the dough into a roughly 22-inch by 8 1/2-inch rectangle. Aim for an even thickness across the dough.
• Spread the filling: Evenly spread the shredded cheese, diced sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, and chopped fresh basil over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a small border free around the edges.

Shaping Your Artisan Pane Bianco: The Signature Twist

This is where your Pane Bianco with Sun-Dried Tomatoes truly begins to take on its impressive, iconic shape. This unique braiding technique is simpler than it looks and adds to both the beauty and the texture of the finished loaf.

• Roll into a log: Starting from one of the long edges, carefully roll the dough into a tight log, working your way across the longer dimension. Once rolled, pinch the edges firmly to seal in all that delicious filling.
• Prepare for the cut: Place the sealed log, seam-side down, on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. This ensures easy transfer and prevents sticking. If you find the dough is a bit sticky during rolling, a pastry bench scraper can be a helpful tool for loosening it from your work surface.
• Make the lengthwise cut: Using sharp kitchen shears, begin about 1/2 inch from one end of the log and carefully cut lengthwise down the center. Continue cutting to within 1/2 inch of the other end, making the cut about 1 inch deep. It’s crucial to exercise caution here to avoid cutting all the way through the bottom of the log, as you want two connected halves.
• Form the “S” and “Figure 8” shape: With the cut side facing upwards, gently separate the two halves and form an “S” shape. Then, tuck both ends under the center of the “S” to create a distinct “figure 8” pattern. Pinch the ends together securely to seal the shape. This unique twist exposes the flavorful filling, creating beautiful swirls of color and ensuring every bite is packed with taste.
• Second rise: Cover the shaped loaf lightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, which typically takes another 45 to 60 minutes. Again, observe the dough, not just the clock.

Baking to Perfection & Storage Tips

It’s truly awesome how you can create such a show-stopping loaf right at home. Now, let’s get it into the oven and bring those incredible flavors to life!

• Preheat your oven: While your beautifully shaped loaf is undergoing its final rise, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Ensuring your oven is at the correct temperature before baking is crucial for proper crust development and even cooking.
• Bake the bread: Once the loaf has doubled in size, carefully uncover it and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
• Prevent over-browning: After the first 20 to 25 minutes of baking, keep an eye on the crust. If it’s browning too quickly, loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil. This helps prevent the exterior from becoming too dark while allowing the interior to cook through. The bread should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Cool completely: Once baked, remove the Pane Bianco from the oven and immediately transfer it to a wire rack to cool. Cooling on a rack allows air to circulate around the entire loaf, preventing the bottom from becoming soggy and ensuring a crisp crust.
• Enjoy! This bread is simply divine enjoyed warm, straight from the oven, or at room temperature. The aroma alone is enough to tempt you!
• Storage: To keep your Pane Bianco fresh, store it well-wrapped in plastic wrap or an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf and freeze the individual slices or the whole loaf in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the oven.

Creative Ways to Enjoy Your Pane Bianco

When you finally slice into this magnificent bread, you’ll be greeted by an incredible aroma and a mosaic of flavors. We know what you’re thinking – it looks too beautiful to cut! But go for it; you can always make more, especially now that you see how easy it is. This Pane Bianco is simply delicious on its own, with a satisfying sampling of those yummy fillings in each and every bite.

But don’t stop there! Let your culinary imagination run wild. Imagine using thin slices to create gourmet mini-paninis, perfect for appetizers or a light lunch. Or, grill each slice to a delicate crispness, then top it with your favorite artichoke spread, a dollop of fresh pesto, or even a simple bruschetta topping. My mind is already wandering to so many delightful possibilities!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have personally experienced all of these products, and I recommend them because I have found them to be of superior quality.

More Delicious Homemade Bread Recipes

If you’ve enjoyed making this Pane Bianco, you’ll love exploring other “from-scratch” bread recipes. Baking your own bread is a rewarding experience, filling your home with wonderful aromas and your table with wholesome, delicious food. Here are a few more recipes to inspire your next baking adventure: