Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
A simple savoury yeast loaf flavoured with olive oil and fresh rosemary.
- Measurements grams + cups
- Cuisine Italian-inspired
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Six ingredients, and three of them are flour, water and salt.
- It needs no tin, no Dutch oven, and no special shaping.
- Good warm with soup, and better the next day toasted in olive oil.
A savoury loaf built on six ingredients, with olive oil in the dough rather than only on the crust. No tin and no Dutch oven — it bakes free-form on a sheet.
Recipe
Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
A simple savoury yeast loaf flavoured with olive oil and fresh rosemary.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1. Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and rosemary.
- Step 2. Add the warm water and olive oil and mix into a shaggy dough.
- Step 3. Knead 7 to 8 minutes, until smooth.
- Step 4. Cover and rise about 1 hour.
- Step 5. Shape into a round or oval loaf and place on parchment.
- Step 6. Cover and rise 30 minutes.
- Step 7. Heat the oven to 200 C / 400 F. Slash the top of the loaf.
- Step 8. Bake 32 to 35 minutes, until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
Notes
- Slashing the top is not decoration. It gives the loaf a controlled place to expand, and without it the crust splits wherever it likes.
- Bread flour gives a slightly chewier loaf, all-purpose a softer one. Either works.
Rosemary Olive Oil Bread — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/rosemary-olive-oil-bread/
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh rosemary
- Chop it finely. Long needles left whole turn woody in the oven and catch unpleasantly in a slice.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Sharp blade or lame
Substitutions
- Rosemary
- Thyme, oregano or a mix. Fresh is better than dried in this bread since the herb is a main flavour.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Keep cut-side down on a board for 2 days, or in a paper bag. Plastic softens the crust.
Freezing: Freeze whole or sliced for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dried rosemary instead of fresh?
Yes, at about a third of the quantity — roughly 3 g. Dried rosemary is much stronger and can taste dusty in quantity, so crush it between your fingers first.
Why did my loaf spread out flat?
Not enough surface tension when shaping, or over-proofed. Shape it tightly by pulling the surface down and tucking it underneath, and bake once it looks puffy rather than doubled.
Do I need a baking stone?
No. This bakes free-form on a sheet. A preheated tray gives a slightly better base but is not required.
What do you serve rosemary bread with?
Soup, stew, or torn and dipped in olive oil and balsamic. It also makes very good toast the next day.
Can I add garlic?
Yes — a couple of cloves, finely minced, kneaded in with the rosemary. Roasted garlic is milder and mixes in more evenly.
Did you make this?
Let other people know how it went. One tap, nothing to fill in.
Thanks — that helps.
