I am not a baker. Really, I have never liked baking. While I love baked goods, I never make them for myself. I think it has to do with the science of it all. I have never been very good with specifics, which may have been the reason I couldn’t minor in Art History. I know the gist of a lot of things, but the names, dates, and specifics are difficult to recall.
This seems to be my problem with baking as well. I understand the ingredients, but the specific measurements are always tough for me. Following a recipe exactly is not really my thing (See my Cranberry + Ginger Sauce). Now in cooking, this is not a huge problem. I toss in some olive oil, a dash of this, couple slices of that— sauté it up and I have made a pretty impressive meal. But baking: not so much.
That is why this recipe is so great! This bread is literally the easiest thing I have ever made. It takes very little effort and yields delicious results!
Start with 2 cups of water in a glass bowl and microwave it for 15 seconds just to warm the water and the bowl. Then add a packet of active dry yeast, a cup of flour, garlic powder, salt and fresh rosemary and garlic. I love garlic so I add a little extra. I also like to slice vs. mince to have warm garlic slices throughout the bread. With a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining flour. I use about 4 to 4 1/2 cups total to get the right dough consistency. You want it to stick to the spoon and just start to pull away from the bowl when you stir. Then cover and leave it alone for an hour and a half to let rise.
Pro tip: I read somewhere to put the dough in the oven with just the light on, this is a perfect warm spot to let the dough rise (just make sure the oven is completely off before doing so).
After the dough has doubled in size at this point, coat the cast iron in oil—about a tablespoon or however much for an even coat. Transfer the dough with floured hands to the cast iron, cover and let rise another half hour (not in the oven).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, poke holes in the dough and drizzle with olive oil, brushing to coat evenly. The holes help the olive oil stay on top of the bread. I sprinkle more rosemary on top, then stick it in the oven 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown. Once you remove from the oven, sprinkle with sea salt and allow the bread to rest for 5 minutes. The bread is so perfectly chewy and melts in your mouth when served warm. Just dip in some olive oil or hummus for the perfect appetizer. The bread will last about a week on the counter and maybe 2 weeks in the fridge!
I give these as hostess gifts! Believe me, people are always super impressed by homemade bread. Needn’t tell them how easy it really was! So cheers to not following the recipe and somehow still making bread– Happy baking!
