The name rosemary is derived from the Latin “rosmarinus officinalis”; “ros”, meaning dew, and “marinus”, meaning sea. This derivation probably stemming from the fact that the rosemary bush is native to the seaside regions of North Africa and the Mediterranean. Hence the ancient legend that rosemary grows “where one can hear the sea” (it is so poetic!!!) .One of it’s common names “dew of the sea”, is a likely reference to the shimmering blue flowers that cover the rosemary bush in mid-winter. Did you ever see these blue flowers? They are delicate and have a mesmerizing smell. You can make a delicious oil with these flowers.
References to rosemary were found written in cuneiform on stone tablets. Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40 to ca. 90) Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist practiced in Rome during the time of Nero, recommended rosemary for its “warming faculty” on his most famous writing “De Materia Medica”, one of the most influential herbal books in history.
It’s sacred to Hebe, Aphrodite and the Virgin Mary. Place rosemary under your pillow to help you to remember your dreams and to keep away nightmares and other unwanted nighttime visitations. Rosemary is useful for ritual baths, and for making sacred herbal water for ritual cleansing, blessing and purification. My grandma thought me that rosemary tea helps to unclog the arteries and drinks this tea is good to control high blood pressure too.
So, because Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs i have a lot of recipes that using it as ingredient. We can use rosemary with potatoes, to spice a chicken, to put on the cold water and drink (the water gain a delicious taste), and I make a bread with rosemary.
Rosemary & Garlic Flatbreads
Ingredients:
300 ml warm water
2 teaspoons active-dried yeast
1 teaspoon of sugar
500g ’00’ flour or strong bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for brushing
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
2 tablespoons fine (or instant) polenta
Tapping :
2 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons flaky sea salt
1.Combine warm water , yeast and sugar in a medium bowl and leave for 15 minutes until cloudy and bubbly.
2. Place flour and salt in a large bowl, Add yeast mixture and olive oil. Use your hands to combine the wet and dry ingredients then gather dough into a ball and transfer to a clean bench. Knead 80 minutes until dough is smooth and springy. Place dough ball in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place for 40 minutes or until risen.
3. Heat oven to 200°C. Divide the dough into 6 and roll or press each piece out into ovals or rounds about 5 mm thick. Place om lined trays and make indents in the top with your fingers. Brush with a little olive oil, garlic, rosemary ( I do a mix with these ingredients and put in a little bowl before brush the breads). Sprinkle about a teaspoon polenta over each one. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden.
Para ouvir:
Cereal & Gardenal 