Make the dough: Attach the dough hook to your electric mixer. Add the water, yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil and 4 cups of the bread flour to your mixing bowl. Combine on low speed until the dough comes together in one large mass (about one minute). Stop mixer and check dough with finger. If it’s excessively sticky or wet, add ¼ cup of flour and mix until combined. Check with finger again and repeat if needed. Dough should be soft but not wet. Knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Dough should clean the sides of the bowl and form a soft ball. Let it rest in the mixer for 5 minutes after kneading.

First rise: Spray the inside of a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put the dough in the bowl and turn so all sides are coated with the spray. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.

Prepare your baking pans: If using a baking sheet, line with parchment paper. If using a french loaf pan, spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Shape the loaves: Sprinkle work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Take the dough ball and with your fingers, spread it out into a rectangle, about 8 inches by 15 inches. Roll the dough up lengthwise, pushing any air bubbles. Pinch the seam to the loaf to seal it shut. Put the loaf seam side down on your prepared pan. With a sharp knife, make 3-4 slashes in the dough. This will allow it to expand in the oven.

Second rise: Cover the loaf with the kitchen towel and let rise again until doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes. The second rise should be about half of the first rise time.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, crack one egg and add 2 Tablespoons of water. Whisk together and brush onto the loaf. This will give the bread a shiny, golden crust.

Put the bread in the oven on the center rack. Before closing the oven door, put a handful of ice in a metal pan and position on the bottom rack. This will create steam in the oven, yielding a crispy outer crust.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden. When tapping on the bread, it should have a hollow sound.

Allow bread to cool completely on a wire rack. The bread will continue to bake on the inside as it cools. Slicing when too warm may result in a doughy, smashed loaf.