Go Back Email Link

Olive Bread

A no-knead bread which can be adapted to suit your taste.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Baking, Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Keyword: Bakery, eggless
Servings: 1 bread loaf

Ingredients

  • cup lukewarm water
  • ½ tbsp instant yeast
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup olives pitted & halved
  • ½ tsp cornflour
  • ¼ cup water for cornstarch wash

Instructions

  • Pour water in a 3-quart bowl. Add salt & yeast. Mix using a wooden spoon.
  • Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading. Use a wooden spoon. You may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
  • Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature till the dough rises & flattens on top, roughly 2 hours. Refrigerate the dough without closing the container air-tight.
  • On the baking day, dust the refrigerated dough with flour & cut a pound size piece. Using a rolling pin & your hands flatten the dough about 1/2 inch thick.
  • Spread olives and roll up the dough to seal them inside.
  • Again crimp the ends and tuck them inside to form an oval dough. Place the dough on a pizza peel or worktop liberally sprinkled with semolina. Cover with plastic wrap or overturned bowl and allow to rise for 90 minutes.
  • Prepare the cornstarch wash by mixing 1 tsp of water with cornflour and then adding the remaining water. Boil or microwave the mixture till it becomes glassy.
  • Preheat the oven to 230 °C. Paint the loaf with prepared cornstarch wash. Slash in any pattern of your choice about ½ inch deep.
  • Slide the dough onto the baking tray, quickly cover with another aluminium pan to facilitate steam generation. Bake for 25 minutes covered, remove the overturned pan & bake for another 15 minutes to brown well.

Notes

  1. Recipe from ABin5
  2. Refer book for detailed technique on storing, refrigerating, etc of the dough.
  3. Since I use a microwave/convection oven to bake, I don't have a broiler tray for steam and hence use alternative method given in the book.
  4. The cornstarch wash can be stored up-to 2 weeks in refrigerator.