Pugliese-Italian Bread

My bread machine bit the dust recently - actually it bounced itself off the counter and was doa as it hit the floor. Kind of a machine-suicide... Anyway, I'm glad because it has led me to try some new bread recipes. This one is my current favorite. I use my stand-mixer and dough-hook, but you could do it by hand.

1 pkg (2-1/4 tsp) dried yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
5 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Put yeast, sugar and 2 Tbsp lukewarm water in bowl. Let it stand for a few minutes, until frothy.
Add the oil and another 1-3/4 cup water.
Add 2-1/2 cups of flour. Beat on medium-high for about one minute, using the paddle-attachment.
Add the salt, and, switching to the dough hook, add the flour one cup at a time until all is incorporated and dough cleans the sides of the bowl.
Add additional flour a couple of Tbsp at a time if dough is too wet. It should be soft, but not sticky. Knead in mixer for 3 minutes, or by hand for 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball, and place it in a bowl that has been lightly greased with additional oil. Turn the dough oil-side up, cover with a damp dish-towel and leave to rise in a warm place. When doubled, punch down, reshape into slightly flat ball and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover again with damp towel, and let rise until almost doubled.
Heat the oven to 450. Lightly dust the loaf with flour. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 400 and bake for another 30 minutes, until hollow-sounding. Cool on wire rack.