Herb Bread

I always see these really creative and delicious looking loaves in the market—some have olives and sun-dried tomatoes, others are stuffed with cheese, and in the corner, if no one has snatched them up yet, are these aromatic herb loaves. And every time I would pass by these market stalls, I would say to myself, “I really need to make my own loaf one day.”

Well, the day finally came. I made these loaves a couple of weeks ago (right before my trip) when I had bunches of fresh basil and parsley that were about to spoil. They did not disappoint. They were aromatic, and bursting with flavour. Although I used basil and parsley, feel free to get creative and use combinations of your favourite herbs—like coriander, dill, and basil, or just parsley, or even garlic and basil.

Herb Bread

Makes 2 loaves

This recipe is from Paul Hollywood’s 100 Great Breads

Ingredients

500g Strong White Flour

10g Salt

20g yeast

75ml Olive Oil

250ml Water, lukewarm

½ tsp Sugar

40g chopped Herbs, I used fresh Basil and Parsley

Method

1. Weigh out your Flour, Salt, and Oil into a bowl.

2. Fill your measuring jug with lukewarm water until it hits the 250ml mark. Then add your 20g of yeast, and the ½ tsp Sugar. Stir the yeast with a fork until it dissolves, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then empty your jug into your bowl and stir all the ingredients together (using your hand mixer or just your hands)

3. Knead the dough on a flat surface until it becomes smooth and elastic (about 3-10 minutes depending on if you used a mixer to initially mix your ingredients). Then add your chopped herbs and knead for an additional 5 minutes. When ready, place your dough back into a lightly oiled bowl and cover in cling film (I always place a dry towel over the cling film for some extra warmth). Leave it to rise in a warm and draft free area for about 1 hr, or until it grows twice its size *FIRST RISE*

4. Punch down your dough and remove it from the bowl. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape each into a ball (if your dough is sticky then lightly dust your flat surface with flour). Flatten the balls slightly with your hands and place on two separate baking trays. Leave it to rise in a warm and draft free area for about 1 hr, or until it grows twice its size. *SECOND RISE*

5. Preheat your oven to 220C/425F. When the dough has doubled in size, take a sharp knife and make 2 slashes on the tops. Place a saucer filled with water in the bottom of your oven (the humidity will help create a perfect crust). Place your loaves in the oven and let bake for about 25minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy.

If you are a bread lover, like I am, be sure to also check out my Wholemeal Bread Loafand my White Bread Loaf