Why this recipe works In pursuit of the ideal artisanal sandwich bread, perfect for a piquant Italian salumi sandwich, we turned to olives, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Many olive bread recipes go to great lengths to incorporate the olives without bruising them and staining the dough. We tried many of these techniques and found all of the frustrating shaping to be unnecessary. We simply kneaded our dough as normal and then reduced the mixer speed to low and slowly added the olives. The low-speed mixing was gentle enough that it didn’t beat up the olives’ flesh. We wanted a crust for our olive bread that was crisp and flavorful yet not tough. Baking the bread in the steamy environment of a Dutch oven created an artisan bakery–style crust. Almost any variety of brined or oil-cured olive works in this recipe, although we preferred a mix of green and black. We do not recommend mixing this dough by hand.
MAKES: 1 loaf
RISING TIME: 2 to 3 hours
BAKING TIME: 50 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3¾ to 4¾ hours, plus 3 hours cooling time
KEY EQUIPMENT: stand mixer, Dutch oven with lid, instant-read thermometer
INGREDIENTS:
- ¾ cup pitted olives, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups (16½ ounces) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1⅓ cups (10⅔ ounces) water, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine olives and garlic in a bowl.
- Whisk flour, yeast, salt, and pepper flakes together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Whisk water, sugar, and oil in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup until the sugar has dissolved.
- Using the dough hook on low speed, slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Increase the speed to medium-low and knead the dough until it is smooth, elastic, and clears the sides of the bowl, about 8 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the olive mixture, ¼ cup at a time, and mix until mostly incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the dough and any loose olives to a lightly floured counter and knead it by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size, 1½ to 2 hours.
- Press down on the dough to deflate it. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter with the side that was against the bowl facing up. Press and stretch the dough into a 10-inch round.
- Working around the circumference of the dough, fold the edges toward the center until a ball forms.
- Flip the dough ball seam side down and, using your cupped hands, drag in small circles on the counter until the dough feels taut and round, and all seams are secured on the underside of the loaf.
- Lay a 16 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper on the counter and lightly spray it with vegetable oil spray. Transfer the loaf seam side down to the center of the prepared parchment. Using the parchment as a sling, gently lower the dough into a Dutch oven.
- Cover tightly with plastic and let it rise until the loaf increases in size by about half and the dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp paring knife or a single-edge razor blade, make two 5-inch-long, ½-inch-deep slashes with a swift, fluid motion along the top of the loaf to form a cross.
- Cover the pot, place it in the oven, and bake the loaf for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and continue to bake until the loaf is deep golden brown and registers 205 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Using the parchment sling, remove the loaf from the pot and transfer it to a wire rack; discard the parchment. Let it cool completely, about 3 hours, before serving.
