Rosemary bread is a small, sweet Tuscan bun 🙂
It’s made with raisins and rosemary-flavored oil.
The word ‘ramerino’ refers to the rosemary plant in the Tuscan dialect, which gives these buns a distinctive flavor.
It’s an ancient recipe dating back to the Middle Ages and has been passed down through generations to the present day.
Rosemary bread was traditionally prepared only during Lent, and in some places, like Florence, it was available in bakeries only on Holy Thursday, already blessed by the priest, but today it is made all year round.
Initially, I was very curious to try it, and since it’s Lent, I decided to make it using my sourdough starter.
The result was soft, slightly sweet buns that I tasted immediately once they were out of the oven 😀
I used about 160 ml of water, but adjust as you go: add the water gradually, and if the dough seems too sticky, add a little flour.
P.S.: Also try:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12 buns
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, All Seasons
Ingredients for Rosemary Bread
- 2 cups Manitoba flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3.5 oz sourdough starter (or 1 tsp of active dry yeast)
- 2/3 cup sugar (+ 1 tbsp for the surface)
- 1 cup raisins
- 2/3 cup water (+ 2 tbsps for the surface)
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (+ a drizzle to brush the surface)
Tools
- 1 Pan
- 1 Small bowl
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Small pot
- 1 Knife
- 1 Brush
Steps for Rosemary Bread
Soak the raisins in lukewarm water for at least an hour.
In a pan, heat the oil with the rosemary sprigs for 15 minutes or until the rosemary changes color.
Strain the oil through a sieve, removing the rosemary, and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the Manitoba flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and sourdough starter.
In a small pot, warm the water with the rosemary-flavored oil and salt for a few seconds.
Pour the liquid mixture over the flours, add the well-drained and floured raisins, and start kneading with your hands. Move to the table, continuing to knead until a smooth dough ball forms.
Place it in a bowl and let it rise, covered, overnight.
Take the dough and divide it into 12 pieces, shaping into balls, and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Let rise for another 3 hours or so.
Brush the surface with oil and make diamond-shaped cuts with a knife.
Preheat the oven to 390°F (static mode) and bake for about 15 minutes.
Remove the rosemary bread from the oven and brush the surface with a water and sugar emulsion.
Place back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.
Let cool, and the rosemary bread is ready.
It keeps for a few days under a glass dome or in a plastic food bag.
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