Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

Total Time: 48 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 48 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water (105-115 degrees)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• extra virgin olive oil (for brushing)
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (for kneading)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (preferably organic)
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• cornmeal (for sprinkling)

Recipe

• 1 additional ingredient: 2 cups basic bread sponge (from my basic bread sponge recipe).
• 2 i made this with the originally recommended amount of salt. i'd suggest halving the salt unless you like really salty bread.
• 3 measure the rosemary *after* chopping.
• 4 in a bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. allow to proof for three minutes.
• 5 stir the sponge and 3 tablespoons oil into the water, breaking the sponge up using your hands or a spoon. stir in the rosemary and salt.
• 6 add 3 cups of the unbleached flour, the whole wheat flour, and salt and mix, scraping and folding until the dough gathers into a single mass which will be wet and sticky with strands hanging from your fingers.
• 7 turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and allow to rest for 3 minutes. knead in as much of the 1/3 cup of flour as is required to make a smooth, elastic and only slightly sticky dough (use as little flour as is possible). shape into a ball.
• 8 place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, brush the top of the dough with additional oil, and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• 9 remove from the refrigerator and allow to warm-up in a draft-free spot for two hours.
• 10 sprinkle a baking sheet without sides generously with cornmeal. on a floured work surface, halve the dough and then shape one piece into a ball, pressing to remove any large bubbles at the edges. place the dough-ball on the baking sheet, being sure to put the seam on the bottom. repeat with the second ball, leaving 3 to 4 inches between the two. cover with plastic and allow to rise until doubled, in a draft-free location. this should take 2-2 1/2 hours. these loaves will be flat and wide.
• 11 preheat the oven for at least thirty minutes along with a baking stone or tiles on the middle rack to 425. place a baking pan with decent sides on the bottom shelf. boil two cups of water. brush the loaves again with oil and then, using a razor blade, make a tic-tac-toe pattern in the top of each of the loaves - do not tear the dough, you want to cut it. pour the boiling water into the baking pan. slide the loaves off the sheet and onto the stone.
• 12 bake for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 and then bake for another 30-35 minutes until the loaves are a light golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. when done, brush with additional olive oil and transfer to cool on a rack.