Yesterday’s Rosemary Olive Bread

Yesterday I baked a white loaf for a friend who’d recently had surgery.  Since it was a crummy day and the oven was hot I decided to make some more bread; just something a bit different.  I came up with this recipe and tried to duplicate it today without the bread maker (which I used just to mix/knead the dough) and I’d used the last of the potato flour yesterday.  Today’s was a bit different, but really didn’t matter too much as they were both delicious! 

Today’s Rosemary Olive Bread

Rosemary Olive Spelt Bread
2  cups AP flour (plus more for kneading)
1 cup spelt flour
½ cup potato flour
1¾ (or more) cups water
2¼ tsp yeast (1 pk)
1½ tsp sea salt (plus more for finishing)
1¾ tsp dried rosemary (slightly crush with your fingertips)
handful (less than ½ cup) kalamata olives cut in half
Olive oil
Spray bottle with water

Mix together the flours, add the yeast and salt then mix in the water.  If using a bread machine put all (except olives and olive oil) ingredients in order as directed by manufacturer.  Mix well and add rosemary.  

Mix, knead then place in olive oil lined bowl (coating some of the dough too).

The dough should be sticky and not too dry.  On well-floured surface, knead the dough.  After kneading a few minutes add the olives (or with bread maker –when it beeps) and knead a little more.  Pour olive oil in a large bowl and place dough in it, then put bowl in warm oven (preheat to 200°F then turn off before adding dough) to rise. (If using bread maker leave in to rise then do following directions.)

After rising in warm oven stretch and turn dough around then let sit.

After an hour or so, take dough out and stretch, break in two and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Let sit another half hour and heat oven to 500°F.  

Bake in oven for 8 minutes at 500° then spray lightly with water and bake another 12 minutes at 450°F.  Spray again with water and after 5 minutes, drizzle some olive oil on the loaves and sprinkle top with sea salt.  Bake another few minutes.  Take out and place on cooling rack.

Eat when you can handle the bread without burning your fingers or mouth!  Might need to put some aside so you don’t eat it all in a few minutes.  I had to stop my son at his fourth piece so that his father and another friend who were expected could try some.  My middle son had seconds or thirds as well.  My youngest wouldn’t try it. 

If you want to do this the no-knead method: just mix all ingredients except the olives and olive oil and place in olive oil coated bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and leave for 12+ hours. Follow the last part of the recipe– adding olives, letting sit again and then break in half and place on sheet.