Rustic Rosemary Bread

Oh man, there is nothing like the smell of fresh baked bread wafting through your house.  So warm, comforting, and delicious!  I've been making a lot of soups lately, so needed to make a few loafs of bread to go with that.  This bread recipe is super simple and there's not much, as in no, kneading involved.  Hurrah!  Don't need a fancy bread machine, just an oven, roasting pan, and if you have one, a baking stone.  If you don't have a baking stone, you can easily just use an upside-down cookie sheet.  Make sure everything is pre-heated.  

I generally add rosemary to one half, and bake the other half as regular white bread.  You can also substitute the bread flour with all purpose flour or whole wheat flour.

Rustic Rosemary Bread

Ingredients

• 6 1/2 c. bread flour
• 3 c. water
• 1 package instant yeast
• 1 tbs. salt
• 2 tbs. chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

1. In large bowl, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees).
2. Stir in flour, mixing until dough loose and no longer dry patches.  Cover lightly with kitchen towel and allow to rise at room temperature for 2 hours.
3. Divide in half.  You can store the dough in a refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.  I generally bake one half and store one half.
4. If making rosemary bread: knead in rosemary until combined well into dough.  
5. To bake: Turn the dough in your hands to lightly stretch the surface, creating a rounded top and lumpy bottom and let the dough rest on parchment paper for at least 1 1/2 hours.
6. Place a broiler pan on the bottom rack of oven.  Place baking stone (or upturned cookie sheet) on top rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees for at least 20 minutes.
7. Dust lightly with flour, slash top lightly with serrated knife three times.
8. Slide the dough (and parchment paper) onto baking stone.  Pour one cup water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam.
9. Bake until well browned about 20-25 minutes. 
10. Cool completely on wire rack.