Rosemary Olive Bread
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cups light rye flour (Adding rye flour will create a flavorful but somewhat denser loaf that won’t rise as high. If you prefer a lighter bread, all the flour can be regular, all-purpose flour)
- 1 cup lukewarm water (around 120 degrees)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons rosemary olive oil (can use regular olive oil if preferred)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2/3 cup pitted, chopped Kalamata olives
Instructions
- Combine flours, yeast, and salt in bowl. Using a spatula, mix water and oil with dry ingredients until just combined into a sticky dough. Let dough rest in a warm spot for 15 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Fold the olives and rosemary into the dough. Sprinkle some additional flour onto a cool countertop or other flat surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth but still pliable, about 5 minutes. Add a bit of extra flour as required to keep the dough from sticking.
- Oil a medium sized bowl. Place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
- Punch down the dough and then transfer it to a parchment lined baking sheet. Shape the loaf into the desired shape, cover with a light cloth or tea towel and allow to rise for another hour.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a second baking sheet on bottom rack. After the second rise, dust the loaf with a little flour. Use a serrated knife to make three shallow cuts across the top of the dough.
- Put the pan of bread into the middle rack of the preheated oven. Pour a half cup of water into the hot pan on the bottom rack and close the oven door. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, then remove bread from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
