If you're looking for the perfect bread to add to any meal to make it look elegant, but you have not yet become a master bread maker, well here is the recipe for you! This Italian Herb Bread not only looks great, but tastes savory and delightful as well. The best part is that there is nearly no kneading involved, all that you KNEAD is time, a few supplies, and a big appetite!
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for coating)
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning/ Italian herbs mix
1 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water (110-115F degrees)
Directions: Yield 1 loaf
Part 1:
-In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, Italian seasoning, and yeast until well combined
-Heat water and pour into mixture
-With a wooden spoon, stir until all dough combines together into a rough dough ball
*dough will be sticky and a bit crumbly, so it will need to be stirred for a few minutes
-Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for 8-20 hours, depending on growth rate
*dough should be doubled in size, spread to sides of bowl, and formed air bubbles
Part 2:
-Preheat oven to 450F degrees
-Once heated, place dutch oven, with lid on, into the oven to heat for 30 minutes
-During this time, punch down the dough, and pull dough out of bowl, placing it on a large well floured piece of parchment paper
-Coat dough with flour from parchment paper, knead slightly, and form into smooth dough ball
-Cover the dough with previously used plastic wrap and let sit while dutch oven is heating (30 minutes)
Part 3:
-Take dutch oven out of oven
-Carefully transfer parchment paper with dough into the dutch oven
-Cover dutch oven with lid and place in oven to bake for 35 minutes
-Take lid off dutch oven, and continue to bake bread for 15 minutes
*bread should be browning on top
-Take dutch oven out of the oven and place your bread on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes
-Slice with bread knife and serve
-Enjoy!
Notes: When it comes to the water that is heated and combined with the yeast, temperature is important. If the water is not warm enough, the yeast will not completely activate. If it is too hot, the yeast can become inactive. It is okay to go a few degrees over my suggested water temperature (110-115F), but do not go under this temperature.
During the proofing (rising) period for your dough, I suggest putting it near a window, if it is a warm or sunny day. You can turn your oven up to 200 degrees, turn the oven off, then place your dough in there, to simulate a warm environment as well. If you let your dough sit for more than 18 hours, it will most likely not rise much more than at the 18 hour mark, but it will not hurt to leave it for a few hours longer.
If you do not own a dutch oven, any large oven safe pot with a lid will do the trick. Be cautious of the bottom of your bread burning though. Maybe consider an extra sheet of parchment paper underneath your bread.
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