How to Make Rustic Garlic Rosemary Skillet Bread

Few things beat pulling a round loaf out of a hot cast-iron skillet, and this one fills the kitchen with garlic and rosemary while it bakes. It starts as a simple yeast dough of flour, instant yeast, salt, a little sugar, olive oil and warm water, with minced garlic and chopped fresh rosemary kneaded right in.

Getting the dough right

Use warm water, not hot. Water that feels pleasantly warm on your wrist wakes the yeast up, while very hot water can kill it. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, then let it rise somewhere warm until doubled. The card says about an hour, but your kitchen decides, so watch the dough rather than the clock.

Why the skillet goes in first

Heating the cast-iron skillet while the oven preheats means the bottom of the loaf starts cooking the moment it lands, and that is how you get a crisp, golden base. Use thick oven mitts, since that skillet stays hot for a long time.

Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle on coarse sea salt before baking. The bread is ready when it is golden brown and crusty. Let it cool a bit before slicing, or the inside will be gummy. I like it next to a bowl of soup, or simply torn and dipped in more olive oil.

There are plenty more like it in the breakfast bake round-up.