Playing In The Kitchen: Romano’s Macaroni Grill Bread

If you can’t grow ANYTHING, you should try growing rosemary. This herb needs very little attention, and grows like a weed. And then you can bake this bread!

Ok, so the recipe I found in my Food Network Magazine called for dried rosemary, which I might have in my pantry (but if I do, it’s probably way too old to have any taste left).

You see, my family doesn’t particularly like the taste of rosemary (on chicken, in soups, etc). This may be a big reason we have so much growing in the backyard (little plants turn into BIG plants when you don’t mess with them too much). When I saw the recipe, I thought it’d be a great way to actually use the free herbs in the backyard.

Before we proceed, I must point out that Food Network says to use DRIED rosemary, not fresh. The cooking standard is 1 teaspoon dried herbs = 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs. There are 3 teaspoons in a Tablespoon. SO, you’ll need about 6 TBL of fresh rosemary (I used 4 big sprigs, removed the stems, and chopped them up). Isn’t math fun??

Print

Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

Prep Time

4 hrs 20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

4 hrs 40 mins

 

Inspired by Food Network Magazine, March 2011

Course: Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4 loaves

Author: Cindy Campbell

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 ounce packet active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water divided
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for brushing and serving
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.)
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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. Continue baking until golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve with olive oil seasoned with pepper.

Recipe Notes

1 teaspoon dried herbs = 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs
SO, you’d need about 6 TBL of fresh chopped rosemary

I can’t find the dough hook to my KitchenAid Stand Mixer, so I kneaded it all by hand. Relaxing, and my wrist needed the exercise.

If anyone has some good BREAD MAKING TIPs, please share in the comments below!