Here is another one of my seemingly weekly bread experiments. This was actually a “fail” in terms of what I was trying to do: I was trying to make a long “snake” with the dough, wanted to swirl it back upon itself, and then curl it into a ball, to create a unique form with the actual bread, but that didn’t work and it just ended up proofing together again on the final rise. That is ok though, because it turned out really delicious nevertheless. This Rosemary and Sea Salt Rustic Loaf is going to make great dipping bread into olive oil. I also foresee a Grilled Cheese Sandwich in my future.
Ingredients
3 cups (14 2/3 ounces) bread flour
1 teaspoon instant, rapid-rise or active-dry yeast
11/2 cups (12 ounces) water, room temperature
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
Vegetable oil spray
Directions
For the dough: Whisk flour and yeast together in medium bowl. Add room-temperature water and one tablespoon olive oil and stir with wooden spoon until shaggy mass forms and no dry flour remains. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle table salt and 3 tablespoons chopped rosemary over dough, drizzle on the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, and mix until fully incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic and let dough rest for 20 minutes. Using your wet hands, fold dough over itself by gently lifting and folding edge of dough toward middle. Turn bowl 90 degrees; fold again. Turn bowl and fold dough 4 more times (total of 6 turns). Cover bowl with plastic and let dough rest for 20 minutes. Repeat folding technique, turning bowl each time, until dough tightens slightly, 3 to 6 turns total 3 more times over the next 2 hours. Then cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
Heat oven and a large of a cast iron pot (lid on) to 450F.
In the meantime, take dough from the refrigerator and shape to a boule, with the seam facing bottom. Let rise on piece of floured parchment paper, covered with a piece of plastic wrapped sprayed with vegetable oil spray.
Once oven and pot have come up to temperature, carefully transfer the loaf to the dutch oven on the piece of parchment. Slash the loaf across the top with a sharp knife or lame. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with remaining rosemary and the sea salt.
Bake with the cover on for 40 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 15-20 minutes more, until the loaf is golden brown and crusty. Let cool to room temperature. Best if served the same day.
