Italian olive bread

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 350 g flour, white
• 50 g wheat flour, wholemeal
• ¼ sachet of dry yeast
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup water, lukewarm (just)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup olives, pitted black and green, coarsely chopped
• Olive oil, for brushing

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours

black and green olives, combined with fruity olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the flour (for a more rustic bread, increase the proportion of wholemeal flour), yeast, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the water and oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Then, on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes, until soft and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with oiled plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Then, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead. Add the olives (it’s best to mix them with a little flour beforehand, so they blend better with the dough) and knead until the olives are evenly distributed throughout the dough. I like to use a lot more olives in the bread than called for. And that’s entirely possible; it just takes a little longer to knead everything thoroughly. Then let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes, then either shape it into an oval loaf or place it in a greased pan. Make 5-6 deep incisions in the bread. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 40-45 minutes (the dough should double in size). In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C (or slightly higher, depending on your oven). Brush the bread with olive oil and bake for about 35 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack. As I said, I like to add a lot more olives. This makes the bread a bit heavier. It’s not as light, fluffy, and airy. I’ve also experimented with mixing in cheese (or small cubes of ham). Very tasty, but the more ingredients you add, the heavier and more compact the bread becomes. It all depends on your taste, your preferences, or your preferences.