I guess while I am on my high horse about homemade bread, I might as well post a couple more of my favorite bread recipes. (Getting down off a horse any more is quite difficult, so while I am up here, I might as well make the most of my stay!)
I have been making this rosemary olive bread for about 20 years, and each time I serve it people can’t believe it was produced in my home rather than in a bakery. But I have a secret weapon! It’s called a round clay baker or if you want the official title – a Sassafras Superstone™ La Cloche Round Bread Cloche. (The name was obviously approved through the Department of Redundancy Department, but I digress.)
Regardless of how fancy you want to be about the name, this product replicates the benefits of baking in a brick oven. Ceramic bread cloches turn out loaves with tender, moist interiors and crispy, evenly golden crusts. The unglazed clay absorbs heat to ensure even baking on all sides, while the porous surface absorbs moisture to give the crust a crispy bite.
Now granted, unless you plan to bake bread on a regular basis, investing in a bread cloche (about $60) might not be the smartest use of your money. But if you do bake bread, even on a semi-regular basis or just for company, purchasing one of these babies will help guarantee a perfect bakery like bread every time. Ever figure out the difference between the cost of a purchased large round loaf of artisanal bread and what it costs you to bake a similar loaf at home? Unless you are of strong constitution, don’t do it. The cost difference is enough to make even the most stoic man or woman break into tears.
And yes of course you can use this recipe even if you don’t have one of those thingamajigs. Just place a shallow pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven before your turn on the oven. The moisture created by evaporation will help give the crust a crispy texture. And needless to say, the flavor will still be wonderful. Happy Baking!
- 2 c. warm water
- 1 pkg. or 2 ½ tsp. active dry yeast
- 2 ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ c. pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 1 T. chopped fresh rosemary
- 5 T. gluten flour
- 5 c. bread flour
- vegetable oil
In the bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and salt. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Add olives, rosemary, gluten flour, and 4 ½ cups of the bread flour. Knead dough on medium speed, adding more bread flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and soft, about 8-10 minutes. Pour a small amount of oil into the bottom of the bowl and using your hands coat the bread with the oil and round into a ball. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down and let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes. Remove dough from bowl. Stretch sides of dough down and under to form a tight, round shape. Place dough in bottom of floured cloche or on a floured baking sheet. Dust top with flour. Cover with lid of baker or tea towel. Let rise 30 minutes. Cut a large shallow X on the top of the loaf using a serrated knife.
To bake using a clay baker: Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, remove the lid, and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until done. When done, loaf will be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
To bake on a floured baking sheet: Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until done. When done, loaf will be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.