Make this Dutch Oven Italian Rosemary Bread to Share

This aromatic Dutch Oven Italian Rosemary Bread is ideal for sharing with friends, family, and first responders.

It has been on my list to blog about for months. I was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to share and now is that time.

The versions of this bread I’ve made previously were baked on a baking stone.  The baking stone method works well, especially with Panmarino Italian Rosemary Loaves, but I wanted to try the Dutch oven method this time.

I got the opportunity to experiment during the Holidays last year when my ladies’ dinner group brought a home-cooked meal to the local Police Department.

Because I was charged with bringing the bread, I wanted it to be special.  I chose Italian Rosemary Bread because it is one of my favorite Italian breads, it tastes really good spread with butter and goes well with a variety of dishes.  Not to mention, it’s an easy bread to make.

Baking this Dutch Oven Italian Rosemary Bread in a preheated versus cold Dutch oven

I prepared the biga the night before I planned to bake the loaves and mixed the final dough the next morning. When it came time to bake the loaves, I decided to bake one loaf in a cold Dutch oven and the other in a preheated Dutch oven.

The loaf baked in the preheated Dutch oven achieved better oven spring and opened up more than the one baked in the cold Dutch oven. However, it had a little more time to proof while the other loaf was baking so this could be part of the difference.  Regardless, I was pleased with the results of both loaves.  

They were both worth sharing.  So I shared one loaf with the Police Department and the other loaf with the dinner group.  I sliced the loaves and delivered them in bread baskets so it didn’t even matter that one loaf rose a bit higher than the other one.

I baked the bread again a few weeks later when it was my turn to co-host the dinner group.  It was a hit with the ladies.

Over the winter, I made this bread several more times using slightly different grains and different hydration levels.

So far, I prefer a preheated Dutch oven, but I haven’t given up on testing the cold Dutch oven. I’ve heard that if you extend the baking time, the cold Dutch oven works well. I hope to do more testing with the cold vs preheated Dutch oven baker to see if extending the bake time makes a difference.

Dutch Oven Italian Rosemary Bread

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• Author: Bread Experience
• Total Time: 5 hours 40 mins
• Yield: 2 Loaves 1x

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Description

This comforting and aromatic Dutch Oven Italian Rosemary Bread is ideal for sharing with friends, family, and first responders.

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Ingredients

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Biga:

• 143 grams (1 1/8 cups) all-purpose flour
• 122 ml water, warm
• pinch instant yeast

Final Dough:

• 530 (4 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 177 grams (1 1/2 cups) whole grain spelt flour
• 177 grams (1 1/4 cups + 1 rounded Tbsp.) add’l whole grain flour (KAMUT, emmer, einkorn, spelt, white wheat, etc.)
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
• 16 grams (scant Tbsp.) sea salt
• 425–570 ml water (depending on the type/coarseness of the grains used)
• 44 ml milk, scalded, then cooled
• 88 ml olive oil
• 9 grams (2-3 Tbsp.) chopped fresh rosemary

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Instructions

Biga:

1. Mix the flour, water, and yeast together using a wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk. Let rest 14-16 hours at room temperature.

Final Dough:

1. Add all of the dry ingredients in a stand mixer. Stir to combine.
2. Pour in the olive oil, scalded, then cooled milk, then add the water gradually to form a pliable dough that isn’t dry. Mix for 2-3 minutes, or until the dough is developed. Add more or less water, as necessary.
3. Remove the dough to a work surface, cover and let it rest for 30 minutes. Knead in the rosemary.
4. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let it bulk proof for 1-2 hours. Stretch and fold after 1 hour.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on the work surface. Divide into two pieces. Shape each piece into a round boule, cover with kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
6. Shape each boule into a tighter round and place on cornmeal-dusted parchment paper. Cover with a kitchen towel and proof for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
7. About 30 minutes before you are ready to bake, place a Dutch Oven baker on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
8. Using heavy oven mitts, carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven to a protected surface. I use thick towels to protect the counter and my ceramic Dutch oven from cracking due to the temperature change.
9. Score one loaf in the pattern of your choice and place the loaf, still on the parchment, (called a parchment sling) inside of the hot Dutch oven baker.
10. Using heavy oven mitts, place the Dutch oven in the oven.
11. Immediately turn down the oven to 450 degrees F. and bake the loaf with the lid on for 20-25 minutes. Remove the lid and place it on a protected surface.
12. Bake the loaf an additional 15 – 20 minutes without the lid, for a total bake time of 35-45 minutes.
13. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place the loaf on a wire rack to cool.
14. Place the Dutch oven back in the oven to preheat again before baking the second loaf.
15. Allow the loaves to cool for an hour before slicing.

• Prep Time: 5 hours
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Italian Herb Bread
• Method: Biga
• Cuisine: Bread

Happy Baking!

Cathy