Rosemary & Olive Bread

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Herb-y, salty & delicious

The best bread to just drizzle with olive oil…

My love of bread goes far back, very far back. You know how Pheobe in Friends has past lives? I feel like mine had a lot to do with delicious dough - but if you’re curious about my current life history with bread, see this post here!

This recipe will take your taste buds on a delicious infusion of mediterranean flavors, I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all purpose bleached flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon instant bread yeast

  • 1 1/2 cups room temperature rosemary infused water (slightly just above room temp)

    • 1 rosemary branch

  • Pitted olives cut into quarters

How to:

Rosemary water:

  • In a small pot put heat on medium high until small bubbles form

  • Place one rosemary branch into the water and turn heat down to simmer

  • Let simmer until rosemary becomes perfume-y and water begins to turn a golden color

  • Drain and strain to ensure no bits of rosemary get into the water

Prep the dough:

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour & salt together until mixed

  • Measure out the 1.5 cups of warm water & add yeast inside until it blooms (about 15 min)

  • Then stir in the yeast water until a chunky, thick, kind of dry and stingy dough forms

  • Add chopped olives in

  • Add a few more tablespoons of water of necessary, you do not want this dough to be wet

  • It’s gonna look stringy initially but use your fork to continue to mix the ingredients until a loose ball forms

  • Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap & then a towel overtop and let it rest for 12-16 hours at room temperature

Prep for baking:

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

  • Use a 6 quart enamel coated cast iron Lodge Dutch Oven or a clay Cloche in the oven for about 30 minutes to heat (with top on)

  • The dough should be big and puffy and pretty loose with yeasty bubbles & smelling similar to beer

  • Stretch and fold the dough until its back into a ball form and cover it again with towel

  • Let sit for another 1 -2 hours (depending on how much time you have)

    • You can repeat the last two steps up to two more times

  • Scrape (be gentle) the dough out onto a well-floured parchment paper

  • Fold it gently, not as rough like you did before because you want some air pockets in the dough

  • Gently Shape the dough into a ball on top of the floured parchment paper

Baking:

  • Lift the dough and parchment paper together inside so the parchment lines the bottom of the dutch oven

  • Sprinkle sea salt overtop of the dough

  • Bake with lid on for 30 minutes

  • Remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes to get the exterior nice and golden brown and crispy

  • Take it out and let it rest for 15 minutes before cutting into it

  • Slather on some local butter, or olive oil with a sprinkle of Maldon salt & freshly cracked pepper for a delicious snack or side!

  • VOILA


As always please let me know how your recipes turned out by tagging me on Instagram or commenting below!


breadanastasia keramidasbread, rosemary, olive5 Comments