From the moment the yeast began to bubble, the room filled with the aroma of fresh bread in the making, mixed with the scent of summer's freshly fallen rain gently blowing in from the open windows.

Homemade bread has been my biggest challenge in the kitchen.

Perhaps it was the humidity in the air. Maybe yeast prefers summer over winter.

Regardless, the dough rose beautifully. By the second rising, I knew this was going to be good. I could already smell the bread and it hadn't even baked yet.

Fresh Baguettes

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Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 3 loaves 1x

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 packet rapid rising yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup Lubella wheat flour (or whole wheat flour)
Pinch of salt
Olive oil

Rosemary & Garlic infused oil:

1/2 cup olive oil
1 sprig of fresh Rosemary, chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
Sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper

Chopped Tomato Salad for Crostini:

Fresh French or Italian bread - sliced

For the Salad:

2 vine ripe tomatoes - diced
3 cloves of garlic - chopped
1/2 red onion - diced
2 tbs. fresh dill - chopped
1 small Jalapeño - grilled - chopped with seeds
1 small - medium zucchini - diced
2 - 3 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese - grated

Instructions

Begin by proofing your yeast.
Combine warm water, yeast and sugar. Whisk until sugar has dissolved. Let sit for about 10 minutes until the yeast has foamed and bubbled to the top.
In a large bowl, add flours to the yeast 1 cup at a time. Add a pinch of salt to the dough as well. Stir with fork until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.
On a well floured surface, turn the dough over and knead until it has come together. Flour liberally as you knead.
Transfer the dough to a well oiled bowl. Oil the dough as well and let it double in size. This is the first rising.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn over onto a well floured surface once again. Roll the dough out into an 8-inch rectangle. Then fold the sides over like a book. Place, the dough back into the oiled bowl, seams down. Again, let is double in size. This is your second rising.
When the dough as risen, transfer to a floured surface and separate into three equal parts.
For each dough, gently and evenly roll and stretch the dough until it measures about 12-inches.
Cover the baguettes and let them rise one final time. This may take about 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and on the lower shelf place a cast iron pan or a baking dish.
Now, prepare your infused oil.
Combine olive oil, rosemary and garlic in a small heat-proof bowl or dish. Heat for 6 minutes in the toaster oven, or as directed in the microwave. Set aside.
When the baguettes have risen, brush a little of the infused oil over each, then sprinkle each loaf with sea salt and black pepper.
Place the baguettes on the top shelf in the oven and add about 3 cups of ice cold water to the hot pan on the lower shelf. This will create steam and help the baguettes to form a nice golden, crispy crust.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden. Remove and let cool. Slice and enjoy with the remaining oil, or make crostini (recipe below).

Chopped Tomato Salad for Crostini:

Preheat Oven 350 degrees:
Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet and bake until slightly golden.
Combine all of the ingredients for the salad in a medium bowl. Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir. Pour over the salad and toss.
Spoon the salad on each piece of bread and top with fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Notes

Prep Time does not include time it takes for dough to rise.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Enjoy with Love,
Tammy & Catherine

Baguettes & Crostini