French Dip Roast Sandwiches with Homemade Baguette

I've been busy in the kitchen today, as you know I have not taken up baking all of our bread.  It really made a difference in the grocery bill, especially today, I had one of those long once a month lists and it was no worse than normal.  So I started this afternoon by making a baguette for tonight's dinner.  Next time I will bake the bread a little less and I will divide the dough in 2 and make 2 loaves instead one, the sandwiches were a bit too big. 

I took the recipe from recipezaar.com.

1 t. dry active yeast

1 t. sugar

4-4 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup warm water

2 1/2 t. salt

In large bowl, sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water and let stand until foamy.  With wooden spoon, stir in 2 cups of flour until combined.  

Stir in salt and 2 cups of the remaining flour until mixture forms a stiff dough.

On lightly floured surface, knead dough w/lightly floured hands (8 minutes or until smooth and elastic.)  I used my kitchen aid mixer.  Kneading in enough of the remaining 1/2 cup flour to keep dough from sticking.

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled deep bowl and cover with plastic wrap until doubled.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Punch down dough and form into a long slender loaf.  Put load diagonally on a lightly greased large baking sheet and let rise uncovered for about 30 minutes.  

Make 3 to 4 diagonal slashes on the loaf with a sharp

 knife and light lightly brush top with cool water.  Bake loaf for 30 minutes.  

I let the bread cool with I made Au Jus from on of those mixes you get in the baking aisle.  

I let the bread cool enough so I could cut it, I cut the bread into sandwich size pieces and then cut those in half.  I spread some onion mayo, its mayo mixed with a little onion dip mix, pile on some roast beef and top that with provolone cheese.  I broil these in the oven until the cheese is melted and browned a bit.  I serve with the sauce for dipping.