This bread is my favorite party trick. It makes a perfect hostess gift. Great for sandwiches, especially those of the grilled variety. Perfect for dipping. Incredibly hard to stop eating. I've adapted it over the years and we joke that it's never the same bread twice. That's okay. It's never bad. It's super easy to make. Takes nothing but a fork to mix. Always a hit.

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2.5 teaspoons instant yeast

+/- 2 cups water

1/2 cup sourdough starter (omit if unavailable)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of rosemary

Pinch of garlic powder

Start with one cup of lukewarm water. Mix in yeast. Let sit for about five minutes. Mix together all dry ingredients. Add sourdough starter and yeast mixture. Mix with fork until all ingredients come together. If needed, add more water. You don't want the dough to be too moist and you don't want it to be shaggy/too dry. If needed, add flour. No sticky consistency. It's a fine line but honestly, you'll know when you know. Humans have been making this simple bread for years. It's really hard to mess it up.

Sprinkle with flour and gently knead with your hands into a ball. Put in a bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 30-40 minutes. Dust with flour, reshape the ball, let rise for 30 more minutes. This is optional! If you are in a hurry, one 30 minute rise still makes a good loaf. 

Preheat oven to 375. Form dough into round or oval shaped loaf. We use a non-stick baking sheet. Coat dough with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 25 minutes or until you hear a hollow sound when tapping. 

Enjoy!