Italian Olive Bread
Italian Olive Bread
INGREDIENTS
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2 1⁄2 – 3 cups flour
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2 1⁄4 teaspoons yeast (1 pkg)
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2 tablespoons sugar
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1 teaspoon salt
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1⁄3 cup hot water
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2 eggs
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1⁄4 cup butter, room temperature
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1⁄2 cup green pimento stuffed olive
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1⁄2 cup pitted ripe black olives (or other olive of choice)
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1 egg yolk, beaten
DIRECTIONS
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In a mixing bowl, pour 2 cups flour and add the dry ingredients. Stir to blend.
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Form a well in the flour and pour in the hot water.
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With a wooden spoon, pull flour into the water to form a batter.
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Break the eggs and drop into the batter.
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Vigorously stir the eggs and batter together till the eggs have been absorbed.
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Cut the butter into 2 or 3 pieces and drop into the mixture.
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With a wooden spoon or mixer flat beater, mix till the batterlike dough is smooth and silky, about 2 minutes.
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Stir in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, till the dough is a ball and can be turned out of the bowl onto a floured surface.
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The dough should not be sticky because of the high fat content of the butter and eggs, but if it is, add sprinkles of flour.
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Knead by hand or under a dough hook till smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
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Knead with a strong push-turn-fold motion and occasionally lift the dough and throw it back onto the work surface. Be aggressive!
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First rising:.
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Place the dough in a greased bowl and set aside at room temp to rise. (because of its richness, the dough may be slow to rise, but it will double in about 1 1/2 hours – or less if using rapid rise yeast).
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Shaping:.
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Drain the olives and mix the green and black together so they can be uniformly scattered over the dough. Set aside.
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Punch down the dough and turn onto the floured work surface.
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Pat and push the dough into a 14 inch square.
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Allow it to relax for 3-4 minutes before scattering the olives.
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Press the olives lightly into the dough.
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Roll up the dough as for a jelly roll to enclose the olives and place seam side down on a baking sheet/stone.
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Tuck the open ends of the dough under to make a smooth surface.
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Pat the loaf to flatten and shape into an oval about 2 inches thick.
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Second rising:.
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Cover the loaf with waxed paper or plastic wrap and leave at room temp till puffy, about 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350 20 minutes before baking.
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Uncover the loaf and brush with beaten egg yolk.
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Bake in oven till richly browned, about 45 minutes. (Watch your time, depending on how your oven heats – don’t over brown, but bake till the loaf sounds a bit hollow when tapped).
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Place on a rack and cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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