Rosemary Sea Salt Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup warm water
  
  
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (or a .25 oz. packet)
  
  
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
  
  
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  
  
• 2 1/2 – 3 cups all-purpose flour
  
  
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
  
• Sea salt, for sprinkling on loaves (optional)
  
  
• Freshly ground black pepper and olive oil, for serving
  
  

DIRECTIONS

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 cups flour, the rosemary and the salt. Mix until well combined.

Add in 1 cup more flour and mix on medium speed until smooth an elastic, adding additional flour as needed if dough is sticking to bowl. Cover bowl and allow to rest in a warm place until more than doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Grease a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and shape each into an oval by folding and tucking the edges into the center.

Transfer the loaves to the prepared baking sheet, seem sides down. Allow to rest, uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 400 degrees during last 10 minutes of rising.

Bake loaves in the preheated oven 10 minutes, the remove from oven and brush loaves with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. If desired sprinkle tops with coarse salt. Return to oven and bake 8-10 minutes longer until golden brown.

Serve warm with a mixture of olive oil and freshly ground black pepper for dipping, if desired.