A few weeks ago, while working out, I realized I needed a loaf of bread for the sandwiches on the menu for dinner that night. I thought about running to the store, but then I was inspired by Kelly & Gilbert. They had spent a day of the previous weekend making bread and sent us a Snapchat of their efforts. Since it was very early in the day, I decided to find a recipe and make the bread from scratch. I picked out a yeasted rosemary bread. Rosemary gives breads a wonderful earthy flavor. I have first hand experience with this as evidenced by the 3 other rosemary bread recipes I have posted on this blog! What makes this recipe different from those others is the absence of cheese incorporated into the dough. (Two of the previous posts were also leavened with baking soda or baking powder instead of yeast.)

Eric noticed the scent of fresh baked bread as soon as he walked into the house that evening. It smelled wonderful! And the bread made excellent grilled sandwiches. (That recipe will be posted sometime in the next few months.) It went really well with the stew we made a few nights later (also to be posted in the future) and we’re positive this particular bread will be the perfect base for the Thanksgiving stuffing in a few weeks. A bread this good that is the main ingredient in 3 additional recipes deserves its own post first!

And there’s no need to pass this recipe up if you don’t have a bread machine. Instructions for making it by hand or with a stand mixer are included at the end of the recipe. Enjoy!

Rosemary Bread (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time: 5 hours, Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: 1 large round loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/4-ounce package)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, roughly ground or chopped
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Use a mortar & pestle to break up the rosemary or roughly chop it.

Add the water, yeast, sugar, 1 tablespoon EVOO, flour, 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon fine salt to the pan of a bread maker in the order specified by the manufacturer. Choose the dough setting.

When the dough is ready, brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Generously flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface.

Sprinkle some flour on the dough, then fold the top and bottom portions into the middle. Fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a 6-inch diameter ball. Place the dough seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet.

Let the dough stand, uncovered, until more than doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Bake the bread for 10 minutes. Meanwhile,  combine the tablespoon of olive oil, teaspoon of dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper together in a small bowl. Remove the bread from the oven and brush it with the seasoned olive oil.

Return the bread to the oven and continue baking until it is golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool slightly before slicing.

This bread will go with soups & pasta, too!  ~Linda

To make this bread without a bread machine:
Stir the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer). Let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the flour, 2 teaspoons rosemary, the fine salt, and 3/4 cup warm water to the bowl. Stir it with a wooden spoon (or with the dough hook if using a mixer) until a dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it, dusting it lightly with flour if necessary, until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Or knead with the dough hook on medium-high speed, adding a little flour if the dough sticks to the bowl, about 8 minutes.)

Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough, cover it with plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature until more than doubled, about 2 hours.

Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Generously flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Sprinkle some flour on the dough, then fold the top and bottom portions into the middle. Fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a 6-inch diameter ball. Place the dough seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet.

Let the dough stand, uncovered, until more than doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Bake the bread for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the tablespoon of olive oil, teaspoon of dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper together in a small bowl. Remove the bread from the oven and brush it with the seasoned olive oil. Return the bread to the oven and continue baking until it is golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool slightly before slicing.

 

Rosemary Bread (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time: 5 hours, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Yield: 1 large round loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/4-ounce package)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, roughly ground or chopped
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Use a mortar & pestle to break up the rosemary or roughly chop it.

Add the water, yeast, sugar, 1 tablespoon EVOO, flour, 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon fine salt to the pan of a bread maker in the order specified by the manufacturer. Choose the dough setting.

When the dough is ready, brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Generously flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Sprinkle some flour on the dough, then fold the top and bottom portions into the middle. Fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a 6-inch diameter ball. Place the dough seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet.

Let the dough stand, uncovered, until more than doubled in size, about 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Bake the bread for 10 minutes. Meanwhile,  combine the tablespoon of olive oil, teaspoon of dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper together in a small bowl. Remove the bread from the oven and brush it with the seasoned olive oil. Return the bread to the oven and continue baking until it is golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool slightly before slicing.

To make this bread without a bread machine:
Stir the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer). Let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the flour, 2 teaspoons rosemary, the fine salt, and 3/4 cup warm water to the bowl. Stir it with a wooden spoon (or with the dough hook if using a mixer) until a dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it, dusting it lightly with flour if necessary, until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Or knead with the dough hook on medium-high speed, adding a little flour if the dough sticks to the bowl, about 8 minutes.)

Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough, cover it with plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature until more than doubled, about 2 hours.

Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Generously flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Sprinkle some flour on the dough, then fold the top and bottom portions into the middle. Fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a 6-inch diameter ball. Place the dough seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet.

Let the dough stand, uncovered, until more than doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Bake the bread for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the tablespoon of olive oil, teaspoon of dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper together in a small bowl. Remove the bread from the oven and brush it with the seasoned olive oil. Return the bread to the oven and continue baking until it is golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool slightly before slicing.