French Bread

3 cups warm water, divided  1 T. salt

2 T. yeast                              1/8 cup oil

3 T. sugar                              6 cups flour

Let yeast rise in 1 cup lukewarm water. Pour 2 cups hot water into mixing bowl, add sugar, salt, and shortening and let sit till just warm, then add yeast and 3 cups flour and beat well with mixer.  Stir in the last 3 cups of flour with spoon.  Dough should be soft.  Leave spoon in batter and let rise for 10 minutes in a warm place.  Stir down. Repeat this 5 times.  Divide dough in half and roll out flat, then roll up jelly-roll fashion. Roll should be about 9-10" long.  Bake on cookie sheets. Brush tops of loaves with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Clip at an angle across the loaves 3 times with scissors.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. 

(In my oven it took about 35-40 minutes.)