Sorry for the radio silence this week. I’ve been crazy busy with a new job that I just started, which has left little time to do anything else. Don’t get me wrong, though, I’ve still been cooking up a storm in the kitchen this week, but I just haven’t had time to blog about it!
Scott and I also bought a juicer this week, so we’ve been busy chopping, squeezing and juicing some fresh veggie juices and making lots of trips to the market, in an attempt to eat as many veggies as possible before all of the holiday indulgence we know is around the corner. Is anyone else doing the same? I don’t know how much it’ll help us once we’re scarfing down roast dinners and mulled wine, but hey, it made us feel good this week.
In addition to that, I also read a really interesting piece in the New Yorker about bread and gluten and why people have only recently become allergic to it. Check it out if you can. After reading that, I realised that I should make fresh bread more often because, like most things we buy at the supermarket, you never really know what’s gone in to something unless you make it yourself. So, to accompany one of the many soups I’ve been making recently, I concocted this rosemary whole wheat bread recipe.
And, let me tell you guys; it was deeelicious.
As in, while it was baking, it took all the strength I had not to grab it out of the oven and stuff it all into my face. If you’ve never smelled rosemary while it’s baking, well, it’s better than any Yankee Candle, that’s for sure.
What I love about this loaf, apart from the fact that it’s made with whole wheat flour and emits a waft of rosemary every time you pick it up, is that it isn’t perfect. By that, I mean that you can shape it pretty much how you want and then bake it, without worrying about it being a certain size, length or height. I love foods that look rustic and homemade, it makes them seem even more delicious, and this loaf is no exception.
Rustic Rosemary Whole Wheat Bread
4
servings20
minutes20
minutes1
hour45
minutesIngredients
1 cup warm water (from the tap is fine – should be a little too hot to touch)
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups (200g) whole wheat flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 cup (64g) all purpose flour
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped, plus extra for presentation
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
A little melted butter or oil for glaze
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar and yeast then set aside for 10 minutes until frothy. Stir in the olive oil.
- In a separate bowl, sift the whole wheat and all purpose flours and stir in the rosemary, salt, garlic, Italian herbs and pepper.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the yeast mixture and stir (or process with a dough hook on low) until a dough is formed. Shape into a ball, turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes. Alternatively, use a dough hook on a food mixer to process the dough on low for 5 minutes. Dough should be a little tacky but not sticky or wet.
- Place the dough into the bottom of an oiled bowl, turn the dough over a little so that it gets covered in the oil and then cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a warm, draught-free place for around 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- Once risen, punch the dough down to knock out some of the air, then reform it back into a round loaf shape. Place it on a flour-dusted piece of baking paper, cover with a clean, dry tea towel and allow to rise again for around 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C. Gently brush the top of the dough with a little melted butter or some olive oil. Score the shape of an “X” in the top of the ball of dough using a sharp knife, to allow steam to escape during baking. Place a few little sprigs of rosemary into the top of the dough for presentation.
- Bake the dough on a lighted greased baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and solid on the top and bottom.
- Allow to cool enough to easily cut, then serve.
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