Description
This olive bread recipe features a flavorful combination of green and black olives mixed into a soft, elastic dough, enhanced with oregano and olive oil. The bread is baked in a hot casserole dish for a crusty exterior and a tender, fragrant crumb, offering a delicious artisan-style loaf perfect for sandwiches, toast, or as a side to your favorite Mediterranean dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 550g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 100g pitted green olives, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp olive brine (from the green olives)
- 100g pitted black olives, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 300ml warm water
For Baking
- Semolina, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, strong white bread flour, fine sea salt, dried oregano, chopped green and black olives, olive brine, and extra virgin olive oil. Add 300ml warm water and mix on low speed for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- First prove: Line a bowl with a clean tea towel. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to the bowl, placing it seam-side up. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least a few hours until it has doubled in size, or for up to 24 hours. A longer prove enhances the flavor.
- Preheat the oven and prepare for baking: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan)/gas mark 9. Place a large lidded casserole dish in the oven to heat for 30 minutes.
- Shape and prepare the loaf: Remove the lid from the casserole dish. Sprinkle semolina over a large sheet of baking parchment. Carefully turn the dough out onto the parchment, placing it seam-side down.
- Bake the bread: Remove the hot casserole dish from the oven and place the dough inside, still on the baking parchment. Cover with the lid and bake for 40 minutes.
- Finish baking: Remove the lid from the casserole dish and bake the bread for a further 10 minutes or until the loaf turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped at the base.
- Cool and store: Allow the bread to cool before slicing. Store covered at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
- Using a stand mixer with a dough hook simplifies kneading and ensures elastic dough.
- Chilling the dough during the prove enhances the depth of flavor through slow fermentation.
- Preheating the casserole dish helps create a steamy environment for a crusty, artisan-style loaf.
- Semolina dusting prevents the dough from sticking during transfer into the casserole dish.
- The bread keeps well for several days and can be refrigerated to extend freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: olive bread, homemade bread, artisan bread, Mediterranean bread, olive loaf, oven-baked bread
