Ingredients for making a rosemary bread
- three-quarters of an ounce packet of active dry yeast (14 gram)
- one tablespoon of refined sugar
- one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- one and a quarter cups of all-purpose flour (155 gram)
- one tablespoon of dried rosemary
- half a teaspoon of fine salt
- fresh ground pepper
- sea salt

Kitchen equipment needed
- Oven
- Baking tray with greaseproof paper
- Small bowl
- Damp kitchen towel
- Cooling rack
Preparing the dough — 40 minutes
Start by stirring the yeast, sugar a quarter cup of warm water in a large bowl. You can also place the mixture in a bowl of a stand mixer. Let the mixture sit until it becomes foamy, this will take up to about 5 minutes. Add half a tablespoon of olive oil, then the flour and three-quarters of a tablespoon rosemary. Then add the salt and about half a cup of warm water. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or with the dough hook when using a mixer.
Take out the dough and place onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough while dusting lightly when needed until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. This will take up to about 10 minutes. Instead of manual kneading you can let the stand mixer do the work by using the dough hook on medium high-speed. You would still have to add flour when the dough sticks to the bowl. This will take up about 8 minutes when using a standmixer.
Letting the dough rise — 4 hours
Brush a large bowl with some olive oil, then add the dough Cover with a nice damp towel and let stand at room temperature until the dough more than doubles in size. This process will take up to 2 hours.
Grab two baking sheets and brush with olive oil. GENEROUSLY flour a work surface then turn the dough out onto the baking sheet with flour. Divide into two pieces. Sprinkle some flour on the dough, then fold top and bottom parts into the middle. Fold in the sides so you can make kind of square.
Then turn the dough over by using a spatula and tuck the corners under so it forms a ball. Place seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet. Let stand for a while (uncovered) until more than doubled.
Baking the rosemary bread — 20 minutes
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees celsius or 400 degrees fahrenheit. Bake the loaves for about 10 minutes. Take them out and brush with half a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with some sea salt and a quarter tablespoon rosemary. Put it back into the oven and continue baking until the bread becomes golden brown, this takes up to 10 minutes.
After baking transfer to a cooling rack. Serve the bread with some good quality olive oil or balsamic vinegar. Just dip it in and enjoy!
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