Okay friends, this is a recipe we have been DYING to share with all of you. It's a family favorite, and Bry has officially been named "King of the Bread" over here. He has mastered this artisan bread, has now taught me how to make it, and it's something I know you'll fall in love with too. Follow the instructions carefully.
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 cloves garlic, chopped into tiny pieces
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. oregano
1 3/4 cup warm water (needs to be warm, and not hot)
Instructions:
*Tip: since this bread dough likes to sit for quite some time (8-24 hours), we make the dough the night before... it only takes about 5-10 minutes to prepare the dough, and then you let it sit overnight and prepare / bake it the next evening.
1. In a medium/large bowl, combine all dry ingredients: flour, salt, yeast, garlic, rosemary, and oregano with a wooden spoon. No need for your Kitchen Aid or Bosch... mixing it by hand is key!
2. Next add the warm water as you mix and it will become a sticky lump of dough. You'll be questioning it big time at this point because it looks so sticky, but that's how you want it to look!
3. Seal plastic wrap tightly over the bowl and let it sit out on the counter for at least 8 hours, but no more than 24 hours. This is where we usually set it out and leave it overnight.
4. After it has rested for the 8-24 hours, and 90 minutes before serving time, you are going to put some flour on a clean countertop and scrape the sticky dough out of the bowl and onto the floured surface. With flour also on your hands, pull the outer edge of the ball of dough and tuck it into the top. Keep doing this on all sides. I don't know how else to explain it besides you pullllll and tuck over and over again. :) After 1-2 minutes of doing that, you'll tuck the final edge of dough into the middle and place that seam on the bottom.
5. Let the dough sit on the floured surface for 30 minutes and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
6. After the 30 minutes is up, take out a disposable aluminum foil pan (with higher sides), and make sure it's covered in cooking spray. With flour on your hands, carefully lift the ball of dough from the floured surface and place into the center of the pan. Dust the top very lightly with a pinch of flour and make an "X" with a sharp knife.
7. Cover the disposable aluminum foil pan with tin foil and place bread in oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take the tin foil covering off and put back in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the outer edge is crispy.
8. Serve while warm and enjoy!
Cutting board, copper mugs, copper pitcher, and napkins/towels... all from Galley and Fen, one of my favorite local shops.
