Blooming Dutch Oven Bread

This is a recipe I originally found over at The Pioneer Woman. The bread is so delicious and so lovely, I had to include the recipe here. Next time I make it, I promise to get some good photos of it before we dig into it!

Dutch Oven Herb Bread

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon active or instant yeast

1 c. H20

About 4 cups all purpose flour
½ c. warm olive oil

¼ - 1/3 cup fresh chopped herbs

1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I prefer Redmond’s Sea Salt)

Kosher salt for sprinkling on top

Directions:

· Dissolve yeast in water & let proof for 10-15 minutes.

· Stir chopped herbs into warmed olive oil (this helps release the flavor of the herbs)

· Combine flour, salt, olive oil & herbs with yeast mixture & knead for 10 minutes.

· Cover dough & let it rise until double in size.

· When dough has doubled in size, punch down & knead lightly to redistribute yeast.

· Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

· Pour generous amount of olive oil in bottom of cast iron dutch oven & then place dough inside, turning once so it is covered in olive oil.

· Score the dough with a large, deep X so bread can “bloom” while baking.

· Drizzle with more olive oil & sprinkle with kosher salt.

· Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven with lid on, then remove lid & finish off bread for another 15 or so minutes. Internal temp of dough should be about 200-210 degrees.