Rosemary and Olive oil Sourdough

Once you have a vibrant and bubbly sourdough starter at the ready, we can start our journey of crafting our Rosemary Sourdough bread. The addition of aromatic rosemary not only adds a fragrant twist but also complements the tanginess of the sourdough. Throughout this recipe, we will guide you through each step with detailed instructions, ensuring that your Rosemary Sourdough bread turns out beautifully. From mixing the ingredients and kneading the dough to patiently waiting for the fermentation process to work its magic, the rewards will be well worth the effort.

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Makes: 1 Rosemary and Olive oil Sourdough loaf 

Ingredients

• 400g strong white bread flour 
• 260ml lukewarm water  
• 140g active sourdough culture 
• 10g sea salt 
• 20ml olive oil 
• Rice flour for dusting
• 10g thinly chopped rosemary

Method

1. To start, pre-measure all of the ingredients.
   
2. In a large bowl, add the water and the sourdough starter. With one hand, mix well until all the sourdough dissolves. Now add all of the flour and mix well for 5 minutes by holding the bowl with one hand and kneading with the other until there are no more bits of dry flour. Cover and let it rest for 1 hour.
3. Add the salt, the olive oil and the thinly chopped rosemary to the dough. Knead the dough inside the bowl until the olive oil has been fully absorbed. Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface and start kneading the dough with the palms of your hands to develop the gluten - be energetic and a little fast with your kneading movement. Help yourself with a dough scraper if you need a little help! Knead for 6-7 minutes. 
4. Once the dough is nicely kneaded and elastic, with the help of the scraper make a ball shape and transfer the dough to a plastic container or back in its bowl. Rest for 45 minutes.  
   
5. Complete a set of Stretch & Fold with a total of 2 sets every 45 minutes. To stretch & fold the dough, wet your hand with a little bit of water and grab the dough at one side, lift it up, and fold it over on top of itself. Fold the dough four/five times, moving clockwise from the top of the bowl. After the last set, cover and rest once more for 45 minutes.​
6. TIP. If you are in a cold environment we suggest keeping the dough in a warm and wet environment for the best result. Often in bakeries during winter they use a dough proofer, which is a warming chamber used to encourage fermentation of dough by yeast through warm temperatures and controlled humidity. You can do the same at home by leaving the dough inside your oven or microwave at 25-27°C with a cup full of hot boiling water inside to help to create humidity. Cover the dough at all times and once you put the cup of boiling water inside the oven or microwave do not open it until the next step so that you don’t lose any of the humidity and warm temperature. Change the water in the cup with new boiling water every time you open the oven for the next step. 
7. Lightly dust a proving basket with rice flour. Alternatively, use wholemeal flour. If you don’t have a proving basket, use a bowl and line it with a clean tea towel and then dust it in the same way with the rice or wholemeal flour.
8. After the last set and after 45 minutes of rest, lift the dough onto a lightly floured surface so that the smooth side is facing up (be gentle to avoid deflating the dough). Shape the dough into a round shape by slipping your pastry scraper under the edge of the dough and then scraping it around the curve of the dough. If you don't have a scraper then cup your palms around the dough and rotate it against the counter to shape it. The skin will stretch until the dough looks plump and holds its shape. Be careful not to overdo this step or the skin of the dough might tear. If you're using an oval shaped basket or bowl, make sure you shape your dough into an oval shape instead. 
9. Once you have a nice shape, dust the dough all over with some extra white flour and transfer it to the proofing basket. Place in the basket/bowl with the smooth side facing down. Cover the proofing basket or bowl with a clean plastic bag or shower cap and let the dough proof for 4 to 5 hours at room temperature.
10. For a slow rise, place the dough in the fridge overnight or for around 12 hours - this will improve the flavour and aroma of your bread. If leaving to rise overnight in the fridge, bake the loaf straight from the fridge. 
11. Preheat the oven to 230° C fan and place a small baking pan or a deep tray at the bottom of the oven (will use this later to produce steam in the oven). You don't need to do this if you’re using a casserole dish. If you are using a casserole dish or a pizza stone make sure to preheat these too. 
12. Once the oven is hot, if you’re using a casserole dish or a pizza stone, tip the loaf on top of a floured board. If you are not using either then place the bread directly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Using a razor lame or sharp knife, score the top of the dough. 
13. If cooking in a casserole dish, take the hot casserole dish from the oven, place the loaf inside and close the lid. Bake for 25 minutes at 220°C (fan). Remove the lid and bake again for another 25 minutes at 190°C (fan) or until the crust is nicely golden and caramelised.
14. If cooking with a pizza stone, slide the bread onto the hot stone. If cooking on a baking tray simply place the tray with the bread in the oven. Either way straight after add half a glass of cold water into the small baking pan at the bottom and quickly close the oven. This will produce steam which helps the bread to rise.
15. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 220°C (fan) or until the crust is nicely golden and caramelised. Don't be scared to have some colour on your bread, this is where a lot of the flavour and texture of the crust comes in. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let it cool completely for at least 1- 2 hours. This will improve the aroma and the flavour of your bread as the crumb is still cooking. Enjoy!​​

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