Rosemary Olive Oil Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Stir the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer). Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary, the fine salt and 3/4 cup warm water; stir 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, dusting lightly with flour if necessary, until 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 with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until more than doubled, about 2 hours.
• Brush 2 baking sheets with olive oil. Generously flour a work surface; turn the dough out onto the flour and divide into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, 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 ball. Place seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, putting 2 balls on each baking sheet. Let stand, uncovered, until more than doubled, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the loaves 10 minutes; brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon rosemary. Continue baking until golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve with olive oil seasoned with pepper.

Steps:

• Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. Turn on the machine and add the olive oil through the feed tube, followed by 3/4 cup water. Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch.
• Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and, by hand, knead in the rosemary until the dough feels smooth. Put it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until the dough doubles in size, about 2 hours. (You can cut this rising time as short as 1 hour if you are in a hurry, or you can let the dough rise more slowly, in the refrigerator, for up to 8 hours. At this point, you may also wrap the dough tightly in plastic and freeze for up to a month; defrost in a covered bowl in the refrigerator or at room temperature.)
• Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Shape the dough into a boule, sprinkling with flour as necessary but keeping it to a minimum. Line a colander or large bowl with a well-floured kitchen towel, set the loaf in the bowl, and cover with another towel (this keeps it from spreading too much). Let the dough rise for at least an hour and preferably longer, up to 2 hours.
• About 45 minutes before the dough has risen, heat the oven to 425°F. Put an ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) on the floor or the lowest rack while the oven heats. If you're using a baking stone, put it on the rack above the skillet while the oven heats; if not, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Once you're ready to bake, slide or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured peel or flexible cutting board, seam side down, or just transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Rub the loaf with a little flour (this helps prevent scorching) and slash the top with a sharp knife or razor blade. Use the peel or cutting board to slide the loaf onto the baking stone or slide the baking sheet into the oven. Partially pull out the rack with the heated skillet and very carefully pour 1 cup hot water into the skillet (it will create a lot of steam). Slide the rack back in and immediately close the oven door
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, turning the bread or the baking sheet halfway through, until the crust is golden brown, the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, and the internal temperature reaches 200°F on a quick-read thermometer. If the bread is browning too quickly, lower the temperature to 400°F. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
• Variations:
• Rosemary Olive Oil Bread With Olives or Tomatoes: In Step 2, knead 1 cup halved pitted oil-cured olives, roughly chopped dried tomatoes, or a combination into the dough along with the rosemary.
• Olive Oil Bread With Onions and Mint: A nice combo; you can make this with olives too (see the preceding variation), but omit the rosemary. In Step 2, knead 1 large onion, chopped, into the dough in place of or along with the olives. Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint if you like.
• Pancetta and Black Pepper Bread: Rich, savory, and packed with flavor: You can use olive oil here if you'd rather not use the pancetta pan drippings: Omit the rosemary. Chop 1 pound pancetta (or bacon) and cook until it's crisp. Drain the meat and set it aside, reserving 1/3 cup of the rendered fat. If you don't have enough, add olive oil or good-quality lard to make up the balance. Proceed with the recipe, using the reserved fat in place of the oil. In Step 2, knead in the pancetta pieces and 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Lightly coat a loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray.
• Stir together flour, sugar, walnuts, baking powder, rosemary, salt and lemon zest in bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mix eggs, wine, and olive oil, then stir into dry ingredients.
• Transfer the batter into pan and smooth the surface.
• Bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Steps:

• ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT: 2 cups basic bread sponge (from my basic bread sponge recipe - this takes an additional day to make).
• I made this with the originally recommended amount of salt. I'd suggest halving the salt unless you like really salty bread.
• Measure the rosemary *after* chopping.
• In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Allow to proof for three minutes.
• Stir the sponge and 3 tablespoons oil into the water, breaking the sponge up using your hands or a spoon. Stir in the rosemary and salt.
• Add 3 cups of the unbleached flour, the whole wheat flour, and salt and mix, scraping and folding until the dough gathers into a single mass which will be wet and sticky with strands hanging from your fingers.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and allow to rest for 3 minutes. knead in as much of the 1/3 cup of flour as is required to make a smooth, elastic and only slightly sticky dough (use as little flour as is possible). Shape into a ball.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, brush the top of the dough with additional oil, and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove from the refrigerator and allow to warm-up in a draft-free spot for two hours.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet without sides generously with cornmeal. On a floured work surface, halve the dough and then shape one piece into a ball, pressing to remove any large bubbles at the edges. Place the dough-ball on the baking sheet, being sure to put the seam on the bottom. Repeat with the second ball, leaving 3 to 4 inches between the two. Cover with plastic and allow to rise until doubled, in a draft-free location. This should take 2-2 1/2 hours. These loaves will be flat and wide.
• Preheat the oven for at least thirty minutes along with a baking stone or tiles on the middle rack to 425. Place a baking pan with decent sides on the bottom shelf. Boil two cups of water. Brush the loaves again with oil and then, using a razor blade, make a tic-tac-toe pattern in the top of each of the loaves - do not tear the dough, you want to cut it. Pour the boiling water into the baking pan. Slide the loaves off the sheet and onto the stone.
• Bake for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 and then bake for another 30-35 minutes until the loaves are a light golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. When done, brush with additional olive oil and transfer to cool on a rack.