French Bread Loaves

This is the recipe my mom always used to make french bread was I was little.  The smell of these baking when we came home was the best smell I can think of from childhood. It takes some time but the recipe is very simple.

Ingredients:
1tbs yeast
1 tbs sugar
2 tsps salt
2 cups warm water (90-110 degrees)
4 cups all-purpose flour (plus additional)
1 egg white, beaten and salted

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast, sugar and salt with the warm water.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Stir in 4 cups of flour until a shaggy dough forms and turn out onto a floured surface.  Using a pastry scraper, lift and turn the dough, which will be very soft, until it has come together enough to knead.  Add more flour if necessary and knead for 10 minutes (less time is needed if you are using a machine instead of your hands), or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a clean bowl, cover with plastic and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.

Using a plastic spatula, turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Sprinkle some flour on top and then fold to form a half circle. Fold in half again to form a quarter circle and return to the bowl. Let rise for another 30 minutes. Turn the dough our again and fold in half.  Cut into 4 equal pieces, form into balls, and let rest 5 minutes. Flatten each ball into an oval  and then roll up like a jelly roll.  Form into a loaf about half the length of the bread pans by gently rolling back and forth.

Line the pans with pastry cloth and lay the loaves into the pan.  Cover with a dish towel and let rise for another 30 minutes.  Pull the loaves out and flip them back into the pans.  Brush lightly with well beaten salted egg white and slash each loaf diagonally 3 times with a knife.  Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes.