A rustic loaf with flavored with herbs and sun-dried tomatoes . Perfect for sandwiches or soups .
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Total Time 3 hourshours
Servings 1Loaf
Author Syama
Ingredients
500gFlour4 1/2 C (Notes)
250gWater1C + A little extra
7gActive Dry Yeast(2 1/4 Tsp or 1 Packet)
1TspSugar/Honey
2TbspExtra Virgin Olive Oil
10gFine Sea Salt2 Tsp
1/4CSun Dried Tomatoes in oilDrained and Chopped
1/2TbspMixed dry herbs / Italian SeasoningSalt Free
Instructions
Warm about 50g or 1/4 C of water to 100°F , or just warm to touch. Mix in the honey / sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast is bubbly. If the yeast does not bloom and the solution does not turn frothy discard and start again.
Take the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Make a well in the center and pour the activated yeast solution along with the olive oil and half of the water. Knead everything together adding the remaining water as needed. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. Form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Drain the sun dried tomatoes from oil. Chop into small pieces. Mix with the dry herbs.
Add the tomatoes to the risen dough and knead for 1 minute to distribute evenly. Form into a log and place on a baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled.
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Place one rack in the center and another right below it. Place a small metallic pan (cake tin/ half sheet pan/loaf pan etc.) in the lower rack.
Uncover the loaf and slash the top with a sharp blade (knife, craft cutters) and transfer to the oven. Add a cup of ice cubes into the pan placed on the lower rack. Reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until done.
When the bread is down it should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Another way is to read the internal temperature - it should be 190°F (88°C) when cooked through.
Remove from the oven and let rest on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.
Slice, divide into small batches , wrap in wax paper/ parchment paper and freeze in freezer bags.
Notes
The volume measurements are approximate. When not using a weighing scale pay close attention to how the dough feels as you knead.
Fresh Herbs can be substituted for dried. Use up to 2 Tbsp of coarsely chopped fresh herbs.