Olive bread (No knead Dutch oven bread)
Olive bread is a crusty, rustic bread which can be prepared with very little effort. The dough is prepared on day one and left to prove overnight before being baked in a Dutch oven the following day.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or French oven
Ingredients
- 400 g bread flour
- 1.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon easy bake yeast
- 100 g olives
- 325 ml water (hand hot)
Instructions
Day one
- Weigh the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and easy bake yeast and mix.
- Rinse the olives and pat dry with kitchen paper. Roughly chop the olives and add to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix.
- Measure 325ml hand hot water, add to the other ingredients and mix well with a fork.
- Cover and leave in a warm place to rise until it has doubled in size.
- When it has cooled transfer to the fridge to prove overnight (or a minimum of 12 hours).
Day two
- Remove the dough from the fridge before you wish to bake your olive bread to allow it to reach room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas mark 7. When the oven is almost at this temperature place the cast iron dish, with lid, in the oven to preheat for a few minutes.
- Transfer the bread dough to a lightly floured pastry board. Fold the dough over a few times and then shape the dough into a ball.
- Remove the preheated dish from the oven and line the base with a small piece of non-stick baking parchment.
- Transfer the dough into the cast iron dish.
- Make three incisions to the top of the dough and then place the lid on the dish.
- Bake in the centre of the oven (with the lid on) for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and return to the oven for about 10 minutes or so until browned.
- Remove from the dish and place on a wire rack to cool.
Notes
How to serve
- Homemade olive bread is delicious served alongside many pasta dishes such as cannelloni, lasagne, ravioli or vegetable pesto pasta.
- It also pairs well with a variety of salads.
- Olive bread makes a tasty addition to a cheeseboard or vegetarian charcuterie board.
- Store your olive bread in an airtight container.
- As with most types of bread I find that this olive bread is at its best on the day it has been baked. I recommend freezing any that which isn't going go to be eaten the day it is baked.
- To freeze - place slices of olive bread in an airtight container such as a tub or bag. Defrost at room temperature or in a microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 10gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 907mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
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