Ingredients
- 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