Sourdough Olive Bread
A rustic, crusty artisan sourdough bread packed with savory pitted olives and fragrant herbs.
Ingredients
- •100g active sourdough starter
- •350g lukewarm water
- •500g bread flour
- •10g fine sea salt
- •150g pitted Kalamata and green olives, roughly chopped
- •1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the active sourdough starter and lukewarm water until milky.
- 2
Add the bread flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms, then let it rest covered for 45 minutes for the autolyse phase.
- 3
Sprinkle the sea salt over the dough and dimple it in with your wet fingers, then knead gently for 3 minutes.
- 4
During the first 2 hours of bulk fermentation at room temperature, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes, incorporating the chopped olives and rosemary during the second fold.
- 5
Cover the bowl and let the dough continue its bulk fermentation until it has increased in volume by about 50 percent and shows bubbles on the surface.
- 6
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape it into a tight round loaf, and place it seam-side up into a floured banneton basket.
- 7
Place the basket in the refrigerator overnight for a cold retard of 12 to 24 hours.
- 8
Preheat your Dutch oven inside the oven at 230 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes.
- 9
Turn the chilled dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, score the top deeply with a razor blade, and carefully transfer it into the hot Dutch oven.
- 10
Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the lid, reduce the temperature to 210 degrees Celsius, and bake for another 20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.
💡 Chef tips
- Make sure your olives are thoroughly dried with a paper towel before adding them to prevent excess moisture in the dough.
- Store the baked bread in a paper bag or bread box at room temperature for up to 3 days, or slice and freeze for up to 2 months.
- You can swap the rosemary for fresh thyme or oregano depending on your flavor preference.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished bread features a blistered, crackly dark crust, an open and chewy crumb studded with savory olives, and an irresistible aroma of toasted wheat and herbs.