Rosemary-Olive Oil Dutch Oven Bread

This bread.  

This bread is beyond amazing.  And I can hardly believe that I made it myself because bread making intimidates me, but if I can turn out a crusty, chewy, gorgeous loaf like this, then anyone can.

I kept seeing this bread recipe floating around Facebook and it caught my eye.  Not that that recipe is not *completely* amazing in itself, but I had some really great olive oil and fresh rosemary that I wanted to incorporate into it, and when I did it worked really, really well.  My carb loving family devoured it.

Slather it with butter fresh out of the oven and you will hear angels singing.  I kid not.  This is a crusty bread with a chewy interior.  Rustic.  Not fancy.  Completely doable for non-bread makers like me.

Read my notes and tips below before you make it.

--One of the things I love about this bread is that it uses regular all-purpose flour.  I never have bread flour, so it just makes it more simple.

--The fresh rosemary makes this bread.  I didn't really measure how much, but it was two large sprigs.  But you can use however much you think it needs.  Or, you could leave it out completely for a plainer bread.

--There is no need to knead.  Did you hear that?  I did not knead it at all.  How easy is that?  I didn't even use my Kitchen Aid, I just mixed it in a big mixing bowl by hand.

--Yes, I punch it down and yes, the dough is sticky.  Just scrape it off your hands a bit.  No biggie.  Make sure your board is well floured and don't mess with the dough too much.  I'm not even sure you would need to punch it down, but I just feel bread dough needs to be punched.

--Yes, you could add other herbs, cheeses, nuts, seeds, garlic…the possibilities are endless.

--I leave mine out on the counter overnight to rise.  I have left it for as few as 4 hours though and still had good results.  Overnight is better.  If leaving it for just a few hours, I would pick a warmer place, so it can rise faster.

--Dipping this in olive oil sprinkled with herbs would be fantastic.

--Let it cool for about ten minutes before you cut into it or it is not easy to cut.

Need a Christmas gift?  The Olive Oil Source will personalize the labels on their olive oils and vinegars for the foodie in your life.  How cute is that?

And since I am talking about bread today, for your listening pleasure, here is a Christmas song that I am currently obsessed with.

And now for the recipe:

Rosemary-Olive Oil Dutch Oven Bread

Adapted from Simply So Good

Printable Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon Instant or Rapid-rise yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling

1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, yeast and sugar.  Add the water, olive oil, and rosemary and mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 4 to 18 hours. (I left mine on the counter all night.) 

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, punch down dough once, and pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drizzle and brush the inside with extra virgin olive oil, then drop in the dough.  Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and drizzle the top with extra virgin olive oil, then bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Disclosure:  The Olive Oil Source sent me a gift pack of olive oils, but I was not asked to write a review.  All opinions are my own.