Superb Herb

My rosemary bush, for some unknown reason, has gone a bit mad in the last week or so. So yesterday I tamed it a bit, cutting it back. I brought it inside & just dumped it by the kitchen sink. I then went out to meet a friend & when I came home the kitchen smelt SO GOOD!

You can almost smell it through the screen, it's so delicious!

How could I resist making a cheeky loaf of bread with this bunch of rosemary? Answer: I couldn't.

Now, I have never made bread before, but there's a first time for everything!

SUCCESS!!

Black Olive & Rosemary Bread.

Ingredients:

500g Strong White Flour

7g Fast Action Dried Yeast

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Salt

350ml Lukewarm Water

70g Pitted Black Olives, Roughly Chopped

 1 Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, Chopped

1. Sift flour into large bowl, stir in yeast & salt. 

2. Drizzle the oil over the flour, make a well in the centre & gradually add water. (Add a tad more if you think the dough is too dry, or a tad more flour if the dough is too sticky)

3. Tip dough onto a board, lightly dusted with flour, & knead for at least 10mins until the dough is smooth & elastic.

4. Press the dough out to a flat round & scatter the chopped olives & rosemary over the surface. Fold the dough over & work the olives & rosemary into the dough.

5. Shape into a round & lift onto an oiled baking sheet. Mark into 8 wedges.

6. Cover with oiled cling film & leave in a warm place for 30mins to rise.

7. Preheat oven 200C/400F/Gas 6/Fan 180C. Remove cling film & bake for 30-35mins until golden.

8. Cool on a wire rack, then EAT!