Rosemary Lemon Artisan Bread

This is Ross' mom's recipe for some absolutely amazing bread! I was scared of yeast (still am a bit), but it's not scary in this recipe! The thing is...if you want to take pictures of it, do so quickly. Your husband is very likely to swoop in and eat most of it before you get out your camera. It's definitely hubby approved!


Bread, Artisan Rosemary Lemon

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp chopped lemon zest
**you can use any combo of herbs that you want. herbes de provence also makes great bread.**
Cornmeal as needed
1 5/8 (or 1 1/2 cups plus 1/8 cup) warm water

In large bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt, rosemary and zest. Add water, stir until blended (dough will be shaggy and sticky.) Cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at warm room temperature, 70 degrees, until surface is dotted with bubbles, 12-18 hours. (If the room is too cool, there is a way to use the oven to proof the dough-instructions are below)

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Sprinkle dough with flour; fold dough over onto intself once of twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rest 15 minutes


Using very little flour, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a smooth cotton towel with cornmeal. Put dough, seam side down, on towel; dust with more flour or cornmeal. Cover with another towel; let rise until dough is more than double in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.


At least 30 minutes before dough is ready, put cast iron pot in oven; preheat to 450 degrees. Remove pot from oven, Slide hand under towel; turn dough over, seam side up, into pot; it's okay if it looks messy. Cover with lid; bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake until loaf is browned, 15-30 minutes. Set pot on wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Using oven mittc, turn pot on side; gently turn bread. It will release easily. (Credit Wm Sonoma who credits Sullivan Street Bakery and Mark bittman "The Secret of Great Bread: Let time Do the Work," The NYTimes, nov 8, 2006.)

Proofing dough in the oven: It is VERY important to turn the oven off before you put the dough in it!!! Turn the oven to 200 degrees for 4 minutes, then turn off. The oven will probably not even feel warm, but it will take the chill off. Put the dough in the oven and put a reminder on your oven controls that there is something in the oven so that no one accidently turns the oven on for preheating. It happens to everyone at least once.