Classic French Bread for Breadmaker

Instructions

1. Add 1 1/4 cups water, salt, bread flour, and yeast to bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer.
2. Select dough/manual cycle.
3. When cycle is complete, remove dough from machine to lightly floured surface.
4. (If necessary, knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle.
5. ).
6. Divide dough in half.
7. Roll each half into a 10 x 8-inch rectangle.
8. Beginning at the long end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll.
9. Pinch seams and ends to seal.
10. Taper ends by gently rolling back and forth.
11. Place each loaf, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
12. Lightly brush each loaf with vegetable oil.
13. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in size, 10-15 minutes.
14. With a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across the top of each loaf.
15. Lightly beat egg white and 1 tablespoon of water.
16. Brush some of egg white mixture over top of each loaf.
17. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
18. Brush again with remaining egg white mixture.
19. Bake 5 to 10 minutes more or until done - bread should sound hollow when tapped.
20. Remove the bread from the baking sheet.
21. Cool on a wire rack.