Ciabatta Bread with Rosemary and Sea Salt

 

I just posted this very yummy creamy Crock Pot Potato Soup the other day, and this is the perfect accompaniment we served with it; a quick and easy homemade ciabatta bread loaf dusted with sea salt and coarsely crushed rosemary.

I love homemade bread... love, love, love it. My favorite part (ok, aside from the eating it part) is the smell... I want a candle that smells like bread baking in the oven. I would burn it all the time, and inhale deeply, and smile.

There's just something so comforting and soothing to the soul about homemade bread. It is ultimate comfort food, for sure. My 16 (almost 17 year old - ACK) son was super excited about this bread. I think he ate over half the loaf by himself. And he only stopped because I gave him the stink eye. And then he tried to wrestle the last slice on the plate from my sister anyway. I need to work on my stink eye.

Miss Lindsey decided that it looked and smelled pretty good too - so she came over to investigate.

This is how Lindsey "helps" mama with food pictures - sometimes I hear her coming, sometimes I don't - then all of a sudden tiny little fingers are in my shot as they creep onto the plate to grab something that looks interesting and tasty.

But really, it's a part of my food photography; it wouldn't be the same without tiny little fingers. And I happen to adore those tiny little fingers, and think they're ridiculously adorable and precious.

Lindsey liked this bread too - lots! She took a few good bits, said "mmmm!!" then scampered back off to her playroom.

Ciabatta Bread with Rosemary and Sea Salt adapted from Marina on AllRecipes

Ingredients 
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active yeast
1/2 - 1 tsp sea salt
1/2 - 1 tsp rosemary, coarsely crushed

Directions

1. To make this recipe in a stand mixer, combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed using the dough hook, scraping the dough down occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add olive oil and mix for an additional 5 minutes.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrape dough from bowl onto parchment paper using a spatula and with lightly floured hands pat loaf into a long, thin shape the length of the baking sheet; dust lightly with flour. Cover, and let rise in a draft-free place for approximately 45 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
4. Spritz loaf with water then sprinkle with desired amount of sea salt and rosemary. Place loaf in the oven, positioned on the middle rack. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.