Rosemary & Roasted Garlic Bread

“'A loaf of bread,’ the Walrus said, ‘is what we chiefly need: Pepper and vinegar besides are very good indeed.'" - Lewis Caroll.

I've already mentioned my current bread obsession and here is another one to add to the collection - a rustic rosemary and roasted garlic bread! This bread is so tasty and really comforting straight from the oven and it made not just our kitchen but the whole street smell amazing! I have never been to Italy (hopefully next year) but I imagine its a bit like this.

Ingredients

500g strong white bread flour

3 1/2 tsp dried yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for roasting garlic and greasing tin

300ml luke warm water

1 bulb garlic

2 tbsp butter, at room temperature

Small bunch of rosemary

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Mix together the water, sugar, yeast and olive oil with a fork until the yeast and sugar has dissolved. 

In a large mixing bowl make a well in the centre of the flour. Add the liquid mixture and combine until you get a rough dough.

Transfer to a floured work surface or an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead for about 5-10 minutes (a bit longer if kneading by hand). Then lightly oil, cover with cling film and a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm room for 1 hour.

Meanwhile wrap the garlic, drizzled with olive oil in foil and put in the oven to roast for 1 hour.

When the dough has risen, knock back on a floured work surface then roll out to a rectangle, about 2cm in thickness. Lightly oil a rectangular baking tray and place the rolled dough on to it. Prick all over with a fork.

To make the garlic butter topping mash together the roasted garlic flesh (dispose of the shell), the butter, rosemary and a good few twists of salt and pepper. Spread over the dough and leave to prove a second time for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220°C about 20 minutes before the proving time is up. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden and risen. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes then tuck in!