Toast slices of the olive bread for open sandwiches or bruschetta topped with a warm leek salad, hummus or baba ganoush. In the winter, warm the bread in the oven and serve alongside a hearty lentil soup.
Rustic Olive Bread
Yield: 1 loaf | Total Time: 2 hours | Oven temperature: 220°C, 420°F
INGREDIENTS
1¼ teaspoons dried yeast
275 grams, 10oz strong wholemeal flour
275 grams, 10oz strong white flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
340 ml, scant 12 fl oz warm water
300 gram jar or can pitted black olives – halved
WHAT TO DO
1. Drain the olives and reserve the liquid. Cut the olives in half.
2. Add warm water to the reserved olive liquid until there is 320 ml in total.
3. Place everything except the olives into the bowl of a mixer using the dough hook or if you prefer knead the dough by hand on a clean work surface.
4. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Or until the dough springs back when pressed gently with a finger.
5. Add the olives to the dough. (If you have used a mixer to knead the dough you will need to tip it onto a clean surface.) Work the olives into the dough until they are incorporated. Don’t worry if the olives look a little clumped together, once the dough has risen and is kneaded one more time they will be more evenly distributed.
6. Oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bottom of the bowl then cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size. Approximately 1 hour.
7. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and “knock back”, which means to knead it gently a few seconds.
8. Shape into a round or oval loaf. Cover loosely with cling film and leave to rise again for 20 to 30 minutes. After 15 minute turn the oven on to 220°C, 420°F.
9. Bake the rustic olive bread for about 20 minutes. When done the bread will sound hollow when tapped on its bottom! If it sounds like a brick ,pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes and then do the tap test again.
10. Leave to cool a little before slicing.
