Olive and Sun Dried Tomato Bread
There is nothing nicer in this world, I believe than baking homemade bread.
For me it is not only the pure enjoyment of the eating, it is the whole combination of the process and reward that I love. The simple enjoyment of kneading a raw dough I find to be a very relaxing process (a sensation I find similar to pastry making though with bread, warm hands are an advantage and cold hands are perfect for pastry!).
This recipe is extremely simple and straight forward, perfect for the beginner bread maker who wishes to develop bread making skills, and of course a winner for the confident baker, who just wishes to show off.
Please note I have kept the toppings specifically for the top, but it is also possible to intersperse half of them throughout the dough before the final bake (my advice would be to use stoneless olives at this stage), using the remaining ingredients for the top.
Ingredients
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Bread
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350g wholemeal spelt flour
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2 tsp dried yeast
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Pinch of sea salt- coarsely ground or flakes
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210ml warm water
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1 tbsp olive oil
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Topping
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Handful of black olives- with or without stones
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60g sun dried tomatoes- cut into quarters
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1-2 tbsp olive oil
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Sprinkling sea salt- coarsely ground or flakes
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Fresh rosemary leaves- or dried
Instructions
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Prepare bread dough:
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01 Place flour into a large bowl. Add pinch of salt and dried yeast. Mix well.
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02 Measure warm water and add olive oil. Mix well and then pour all liquid into the flour. Combine all ingredients together (add extra water if necessary) and turn the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes - or if using a an electric mixer with a dough hook, process for approximately 5 minutes.
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03 Using your finger tips, lightly oil all the sides and base of a large bowl, place the dough into the bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size (this can take from 1-2hours or less depending on how warm your kitchen is).
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04 When the dough has literally doubled in size, remove the cling film and turn out on to a lightly floured work surface. Knead again for 2-3 minutes and shape into either an oval or circle. The dough is now ready for its topping.
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Topping:
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05 Place the dough on to a lightly oiled baking tray and with gentle fingers decorate the top with black olives, pieces of sun dried tomatoes and a few rosemary leaves. Drizzle all over the olive oil and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt.
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06 Cover the bread with either a clean, damp tea towel or another piece of cling film. Leave in a warm place to grow again - this will take approximately 30 minutes or so.
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07 When the dough is nicely puffed, place in a preheated hot oven and bake until well cooked. Cool on a wire wrack and serve warm or cold.
Notes
If you do not have spelt any wholemeal flour will do, or if you prefer use all white wheat bread flour, and I recommend to use a robust, fruity olive oil, as the flavour will really enhance a taste of the mediterranean in the final result. Finally after cooking, always tap the bottom of the bread for a hollow sound, as this will help you to double check that the bread is thoroughly cooked, and if you prefer a softer crust on your finished bake, I recommend to cover the bread with a clean, damp tea towel/cloth during cooling - but when you remove the cloth lift carefully, as you do not want to lose all your wonderful topping!
