Rosemary Bread

I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm very impressionable.  If I had the time and the money, I'd probably spend it all making just about every last thing I see all of you posting up on your blogs.  But I don't, so I have to choose.  And a tough choice it is...but it really helps when I already have all the ingredients, such as with this Macaroni Grill copycat recipe I saw at Brenda's Canadian Kitchen.

I've only been to the Macaroni Grill once or twice, and it's been quite some time ago.  So I honestly don't remember what kind of bread they served.  I just remember their macaroni was not grilled, which teed me off just a little.  But, if they are serving this type of bread, I apparently need to give them a revisit.   I love that this is easy and delicious.  And the smell of fresh bread is always a good thing, but when rosemary is added to the mix...that's just even more awesome.  

Make this, you'll be glad you did :)

1 cup water

1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast 

2 tsp. sugar

2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and serving (divided)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 T dried rosemary (divided)

1 tsp. fine salt

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Stir the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer). Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary, the fine salt and 3/4 cup warm water; stir with a wooden spoon (or with the dough hook if using a mixer) until a dough forms.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting lightly with flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Or knead with the dough hook on medium-high speed, adding a little flour if the dough sticks to the bowl, about 8 minutes.)Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until more than doubled, about 2 hours.*Brush 2 baking sheets with olive oil. Generously flour a work surface; turn the dough out onto the flour and divide into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, sprinkle some flour on the dough, then fold the top and bottom portions into the middle. Fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a ball. Place seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, putting 2 balls on each baking sheet. Let stand, uncovered, until more than doubled, about 2 hours.**Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the loaves 10 minutes; brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon rosemary (work very quickly when you do this). Continue baking until golden brown, about 10 more minutes.***  Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve with olive oil seasoned with pepper.Makes 4 small round loaves of bread.