This has to be one of my favorite breads of all time and, in spite of a little extra work for the roasted garlic, I just keep coming back to this one! Infused with the aromatic essence of fresh rosemary, the savory richness of rough-chopped olives, and the sweet, mellow taste of roasted garlic, each bite is a burst of flavor.
This recipe utilizes a quicker fermentation process without cold proofing to ensure the best texture and structure for your bread, as the acidity of olives can break down the gluten (especially olives which were stored/soaking in vinegar). Avoiding a cold proof or limiting it will ensure the dough does not break down or tear before it’s time to bake.
If you’re interested in curing your own olives, even the oily black ones featured in this recipe, I devote a full chapter to olive-making in the 2nd Insane in the Brine Cookbook!
Items Needed:
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife & cutting board
- Aluminum foil
- Kitchen scale (recommended for accurate measurements)
- Damp cloth
- Bench scraper
- 9″ banneton (proofing basket)
- Parchment paper
- Bread lame, sharp knife, or razor blade (for scoring)
- Dutch oven or heavy cast iron pot with lid
- Cast iron pan (optional, for steam)
- Lava rocks (optional, for steam)
- A few cups of ice (for creating steam during baking)
- Digital baking thermometer
- Wire rack
Ingredients:
- 200g levain (prepared from 50g starter, 100g water, and 100g flour) [or 1 cup starter]
- 320g water (1 1/3 cups)
- 400g bread flour (3 1/4 cups)
- Optional: 1 TBSP diastatic malt powder (for enhanced crust color and texture)
- 2 TBSP fresh rosemary, well-chopped (6g, or substitute with 1 TBSP dried rosemary)
- 14g salt (2.5 tsp)
- 2/3 cup pitted olives, rough chopped (100g) (I like black oil-cured olives but use any as desired or a mix)
- 2 heads of garlic, roasted in foil with 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil (2 tsp per head)
- Additional flour (or rice flour for easier release) for work surface and banneton
Instructions:
1. Preparing the Starter/Levain:
Around 6 hours before you plan to mix your dough, either:
- Break off 50g of your existing starter and combine it with 100g water and 100g bread flour in a separate container to create a new levain.
- OR feed your starter equal parts bread flour and water (100g water and 100g flour) to use 200g of starter.
2. Roasting the Garlic (While the Levain is Getting Ready):
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut the tops off two heads of garlic to expose the cloves.
- Place each head of garlic on a piece of foil and drizzle with 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil per head.
- Wrap the garlic heads in the foil and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the garlic is soft and caramelized.
- Allow the garlic to cool, then squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins, keeping them as intact as possible.
3. Mixing the Dough:
- In a large bowl, combine the water and levain. Stir until well mixed.
- Add the bread flour, optional diastatic malt powder. and salt. Mix until all ingredients are combined. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
- Cover the bowl with a damp cloth to prevent surface drying.
4. First Stretch and Folds:
- Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
- Perform the first set of stretch and folds (4-8 times):
- Wet your hands to prevent sticking.
- Grab a portion of the dough from the edge, stretch it up, and fold it towards the center.
- Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the process. Do this 4-8 times, rotating the bowl after each fold.
- Keep the dough covered with a damp cloth during the rest periods between folds.
5. Second and Third Set of Stretch and Folds (Incorporating Add-Ins):
- Complete a second set of stretch & folds. At the end, incorporate a coil fold by folding the dough under itself. After waiting 30 minutes, complete a third set of stretch & folds where you gradually incorporate the rosemary, roasted garlic, and olives:
- Wet your hands to prevent sticking.
- Grab a portion of the dough from the edge, stretch it up, and fold it towards the center.
- Scatter a portion of the rosemary, roasted garlic, and olives over the dough.
- Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the process, incorporating the add-ins in waves until all are evenly distributed.
6. Primary Fermentation:
- After the final (3rd) set of folds, keep the bowl covered with a damp towel.
- Let the dough rise until it has nearly doubled in size, approximately 3-4 more hours, depending on the ambient temperature (anywhere from 70-85°F will move along reasonably well, below 70°F and the process will be slow).
7. Shaping and Secondary Fermentation:
- Flour your work surface and gently turn the dough out onto it. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- If the dough is sticking too much, work in more flour (don’t go overboard) under the dough using a bench scraper.
- Shape the dough into a loaf by pulling it towards yourself in a circular motion, creating surface tension.
- Liberally flour the proofing basket (banneton), using either regular flour or rice flour for a cleaner release.
- Place the shaped dough seam-side up in the well-floured banneton. Over time, it will fill the banneton as it expands. Cover with a dry towel (but not terry cloth) and allow it to rise at room temperature for 2-4 hours, or until it passes the poke test (when gently poked, the dough springs back slowly).
8. Preheating the Oven:
- About 1 hour before baking, preheat your oven to 485°F (250°C) with a Dutch oven or a heavy cast iron pot (with its lid) inside, in the lower third of the oven. Optionally, place a cast iron pan (with optional lava rocks) on the bottom rack for steam.
9. Baking:
- 30 minutes before baking, you may opt to place the dough-filled banneton in the freezer to help the dough keep its shape when poured out. When ready to bake, carefully turn the dough out of the banneton onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp knife or razor blade. I tend to just do a rustic criss-cross, but more advanced scoring techniques are welcome at this stage.
- Remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven and transfer the dough, along with the parchment paper, into it (carefully lift the edges of the parchment paper). Cover with the lid.
- If using, add a few cups of ice to the cast iron pan (with optional lava rocks) to create steam.
- Bake covered at 485°F (250°C) for 22 minutes.
- After 22 minutes, remove the lid and reduce the oven temperature to 465°F (240°C). Remove the steam pan as well. Continue baking for another 20 minutes, or until the bread has a deep brown crust and an internal temperature of 205-210°F (96-99°C), measured with a digital baking thermometer.
10. Cooling:
- You can keep the bread in the Dutch oven inside the main oven, turned off with the door open, for 25 minutes. This helps to set the crust.
- After 25 minutes, transfer the bread to an elevated wire rack. Let it cool completely overnight or up to 24 hours to fully cure. This extended curing time allows the bread to develop its full flavor and makes it easier to slice without squishing.
