Homemade Mediterranean Olive Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups bread flour (plus extra for dusting your work surface)
• 2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup green olives (pitted and roughly chopped)
• 1 cup kalamata olives (pitted and roughly chopped)
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Cornmeal for dusting

Ingredient Swaps:

• Flour: Substitute whole wheat flour for extra fiber and nutrients.
• Herbs and seeds: Incorporate herbs like rosemary or thyme or add seeds such as flaxseeds or chia seeds.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the towel: Lay a clean kitchen towel on a cookie tray and dust liberally with cornmeal.
2. Mix dry ingredients: Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and olives in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
3. Add wet ingredients: Add the warm water and gently mix together until the dough starts to come together.
4. Knead: Dust your table with flour and dump the dough out of the bowl. Knead the dough into a ball shape.
5. Rise in bowl: Coat a large bowl with olive oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let it sit until the dough doubles in size.
6. Shape: Once it’s risen, take the dough out of the bowl and roughly press it into a flat circle. Then knead it back into a ball.
7. Dust and prepare oven: Pop the dough onto the cornmeal-dusted towel and dust the top with some additional cornmeal. Place the empty Dutch oven (or pot) into your oven and preheat to 450°F.
8. Score and bake: When the oven is preheated, use a serrated knife to cut 2-3 slits in the top of the dough. Take the Dutch oven out of the oven and put the dough into the pot. Put the lid on and put it back in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Finish baking: Take off the lid and bake for another 20-30 minutes until the crust is golden and crispy.
10. Cool: Let it cool before slicing.

Enjoy your homemade olive bread!