Herby Dutch Oven Bread

This was actually the very first loaf I baked for my 40 Loaves Project. I made so many mistakes! I doubled the batch and then undercooked it (rookie error!). Luckily, bad loaves teach us a lot more than good ones. If I had quit after the failed first try, I would have learned next to nothing.

The good thing is everyone likes bread, even if it turns out a little weird or ugly. We trimmed the underdone parts and enjoyed the rest with delicious dipping oils and vinegars, and the spark of my curiosity about baking bread was fanned.

This is a simple bread that doesn’t take all day, and you can use any fresh or dried herbs you have on hand that sound yummy. Chives and rosemary would be amazing, and you could even knead in some parmesan cheese for a delicious addition. I used dried Italian herbs that my mother-in-law had brought back for me from a recent trip to Italy. It’s savory and comforting. Enjoy with salted butter or olive oil sprinkled with dried Italian herbs and salt.

Ingredients:

1 ⅓ cups water

1 teaspoon active yeast 

1 tablespoon sugar

1 stick melted butter

4 cups flour (all-purpose or bread flour both work)

2 teaspoons salt

2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs of choice (or 2 tablespoons dried herbs)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together by hand or in a stand mixer and knead for about ten minutes. Once the dough is tight and stretchy, let it rise, covered, for about 3 hours at room temperature, or until doubled in size. 

Prepare a piece of parchment paper. Punch down the dough and shape into a smooth ball, then place on the parchment. Lower the parchment into a Dutch oven and let it rise for one more hour. 

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. 

Using a sharp knife or a bread lame (razor meant for scoring dough), cut an X or a single, off-center slash into the top of the loaf so that it will open up and “bloom” while baking. 

Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for another 20-30 minutes. 

Try this:

This is such a versatile and simple savory loaf, and though it would fit perfectly on any dinner table, it’s really fun to eat with a variety of dips and spreads as an appetizer. Let everyone find their favorite flavors!

Invite a few friends to bring their favorite savory spreads, dips, oils, or butters and taste away!

Provide everyone with their own shallow bowls or rimmed plates, and set out a variety of olive oils and vinegars, plus some salt, fresh pepper, and seasonings like oregano, paprika, rosemary, garlic, or whatever else sounds good! There are some amazing infused oils and vinegars out there, and it’s incredibly fun to try different combinations. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Garlic olive oil with balsamic vinegar and pepper (smash a couple of fresh-roasted garlic cloves in, if you have them!)

• Herbes de Provence olive oil (or rosemary) with jalapeño white balsamic vinegar and a dash of oregano, salt, and pepper

• Fresh plain olive oil with fig balsamic vinegar (or another fruity vinegar), salt, and pepper

• Lemon olive oil with white balsamic vinegar and freshly ground pepper