Skip to main content

Rosemary Olive Bread


One of the positives about being home full time is that I have more opportunities to bake. For the past four weeks, I have baked fresh bread each Wednesday. And while there is definitely a learning curve involved, there is also something incredibly therapeutic about the process. 

I love that the dough forces me to be patient and wait for it. It gives me great pleasure to watch it double in size, and sheer delight to deflate it so it can rise again. I can be gentle when I turn it out onto my floured countertop, or more aggressive when I cut, knead, and slap the dough. I can be creative when I shape the loaf...I can turn it into a boule, a loaf, a baguette, a bâtard, some rolls - why, I can even braid it! (still working on the braid...last week's braid looked more like a blob!) The possibilities are limitless. And even if you mess up and it is ugly, you still get to eat it and it will (most likely) still taste yummy.

This week's rosemary olive bread was my most successful loaf thus far. I followed the recipe at Pastry Affair with a couple of minor modifications. I really liked this blog because it had both very detailed instructions and helpful photos for each step. It is perfect for a beginner like me. 

While four weeks does not qualify me as a bread master by any means, I thought I would share some tips from one beginner to another. Here are 5 tips I wish someone would have told me when I began this adventure a month ago!

Tip #1: Bread Simply Cannot Be Hurried
Making bread is not difficult, but it is very time consuming. It truly requires planning and forethought. The biggest thing to note is that you need to begin making the bread at least one night before you intend to bake it (some breads, like sourdough, the process begins a week ahead of time!) I started the night before by making the poolish (starter). This step is explained on the website above and takes very little time (about 5 minutes). The next steps have bursts of interactive time with your dough, followed by lengthy stints of waiting for it to rise. At least you can get some laundry done or read a book...

Tip #2: Avoid a Sticky Situation
One tip I can offer that is not mentioned in this recipe, but I learned the hard way last week, is to spray your plastic wrap with cooking spray before you cover your dough. As it rises, it will rise into the plastic wrap and stick so that when you pull off the plastic, you pull the bread dough up, too. Then it creates little spikes or lumps and your loaf looks like some medieval weaponry in the making  instead of bread.
be sure to coat your plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray
Tip #3: Don't be Afraid to Get a little Steamy
When baking bread, I am learning that the key to getting a crisp crust and moist inside is steam. Last week, I used my husband's beloved cast iron skillet as is recommended in this recipe and in many others I have come across. He was not happy (in all fairness, I know it took him awhile to cure it and using it to create steam in an oven undoes all his hard work). So, one of my modifications was to keep a glass pan full of water in the oven. I also tossed a half cup of water directly onto the bottom floor of my oven right before I shut the door creating a mini-sauna for my dough.
And while I do not recommend you open and shut the door while the bread is baking (you will mess up the temperature and let out the steam), when you do need to open the oven door, do so with caution as you do not want that hot steam smacking you in the face. That would not feel too good.
transfer the dough and parchment onto the hot baking stone to get a crisp bottom crust - the pan of water is on the lower rack
Tip #4: Tools Worth Purchasing
While you can make do without some of the recommended items, like the cast iron pan mentioned above or a lame. I used a very sharp knife instead of a lame to score the top of the bread with a criss-cross pattern (see above photo). 
However, there is one tool that is worth buying - the pastry knife/dough scraper. Call it what you will, it is invaluable in baking - I use mine all the time, and not just for baking bread. The directions for this bread instruct you to use this tool to cut and knead the dough. Because of the dough's tackiness, this tool works well to scrape up the sticky bits off of your counter. I cannot think of another item that would work nearly as well.
I bought this several years ago and like that it enables me to make uniform measurements when making pastries
The other tool that you can probably do without but may want to splurge on is a baking stone (or a pizza stone...same thing, really). You can easily find them on Amazon and they range from $8 to $50. I use mine for making homemade pizza, but also for baking bread. It helps heat your crust evenly and contributes to its delightful, flaky crust. A word of caution: Never place your sticky, gooey dough directly on the stone (yes, I learned that one the hard way, too). Either use parchment - which really is a baker's best friend - or sprinkle cornmeal on the stone first. And always heat up the stone in the oven and allow it to get nice and hot before you use it.

Tip #5: Have Fun
Baking bread can be intimidating if you are perfectionist (like me). Once you accept the fact that you will make mistakes and your loaves will not be picture perfect at first, baking bread is both joyful and rewarding.
baked rosemary olive bread pairs perfectly with a hearty stew on a chilly day
The crust was perfectly crispy, and the kalamata olives helped keep the bread moist
In the end, it was the perfect bread to go with my hearty Italian chicken stew. We still had some left over, so I wrapped it up in a paper bag and warmed it in the oven for dinner tonight. We all agreed it stands on its own, but that it would be tasty dipped in a flavored olive oil. Your home will smell divine and your belly will thank you...and you will feel like a rock star for making something so delicious!

Follow on Bloglovin

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Les Femmes Tondues

"Germany Wins on All Fronts" - the Eiffel Tower (Getty Images) It is no great secret that some French collaborated during the Nazi Occupation of France. Some did it for less than admirable reasons, such as political gain, anti-Semitism, or true fascist ideology. Other people were frightened and saw no end to the Occupation, while some were motivated simply by the desire to survive.  Many women who collaborated fall into the latter category. French women and German soldiers enjoying lunch at a café (Unidentified Photo Source) Food, clothes, and fuel (among other items) were scarce during the Occupation. Nearly everything needed to sustain life was rationed, and much of France's food and other  necessary  commodities were shipped to Germany. One way to ensure warmth and a full belly was by making nice with a German soldier.  A French woman chats with a German soldier in front of the Eiffel Tower during the Occupation In a desperate attempt to survive,

A Little Zazou ~ Pour Vous

Sorry Disney fans, but I am not talking about Simba's little feathered hornbill friend in the Lion King (that's spelled Zazu anyway). No, I am talking about the Zazou Jazz Era that began in Interwar Paris and  les zazous  who, in their own way, defied Vichy and the Nazis when they occupied France during the Second World War.  Thanks to my ADD that always manages to kick in when I am supposed to be doing serious research, I stumbled upon the concept of zazou when I was - you guessed it - researching for my Master's thesis on the French Resistance last year.  While I was disappointed that I could not use this newfound knowledge in my thesis, all was not lost. This detour introduced me not only to the fascinating history of les zazous , but some really remarkable Manouche Jazz (a.k.a. Gypsy Swing Jazz) that I knew would some day make a great blog. Lucky you, mes chers , that day is today! What the Heck IS Zazou? Zazou describes a style of jazz as well as a

Sylvia Beach - An American In Paris

This past fall I read Americans in Paris: Life and Death Under Nazi Occupation by Charles Glass. Meticulously researched, the book described the collaboration, resistance, and survival stories of several Americans during the Occupation. Of all the fascinating Americans Glass discussed, I felt an instant connection to one, and have been mildly obsessed with her ever since… Sylvia Beach Photo Source: donswaim.com/ripley-lawrence.htm The Woman Nancy Woodridge Beach was born on March 14, 1887 in Baltimore, Maryland.  She spent much of her childhood and young adult life living throughout Europe. Her first encounter with Paris came at a young age when her father, a pastor, was appointed assistant minister of the American Church in Paris, as well as director of the American student center. As a young adult she spent time in Spain and even served a stint in Serbia in the Red Cross. Although her birth name was Nancy, she would become known to the world as Sylvia Beach.  It was