No-Knead Olive Bread

Ingredients (~2 small loaves)

• 3 cups tepid water (~100-115°F)
• 4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (2 standard packets)
• 6 cups bread flour
• 3 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups pitted olives, roughly chopped

Using bread flour will result in a chewier, more artisanal loaf, but all-purpose flour will also work.

Activate the Yeast

Add the tepid water and yeast to a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine. Let this rest for ~5-10 minutes.

You are checking to see if the yeast is alive. You’ll know it’s active if small bubbles form on the surface or it gives off a distinct “brewery” smell. If neither happens, your yeast is dead and you need to start over.

Mix and Rise the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, add the bread flour, salt, and chopped olives. Use a spoon or your hands to combine them.

Pour in the activated yeast and water mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until it all comes together and forms a sticky, shaggy dough. There is no kneading required.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let this sit on your counter for ~2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Shape and Bake

Place your 4 to 6-quart Dutch oven, with its lid on, into your oven. Preheat the oven (and the pot) to ~450°F.

While the oven heats, sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface. Transfer the risen dough to this surface and divide it into two equal pieces.

Gently roll one piece of dough in the flour to form a rough ball. Keep the second piece of dough covered while the first one bakes.

Place the first dough ball in the center of a large piece of parchment paper.

Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Take off the lid.

Grab the ends of the parchment paper and use it as a sling to lower the dough ball into the center of your hot Dutch oven.

Cover the pot with the lid and place it back into the oven.

Bake, covered, for ~30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake, uncovered, for another ~10-20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Bake the Second Loaf

Remove the first baked loaf and place it on a wire rack.

Shape the second piece of dough into a ball and place it on a new piece of parchment paper.

Carefully lower the second dough ball into the hot Dutch oven. Cover and bake for ~30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another ~10-20 minutes until golden brown.

Rest the Bread

Transfer the baked loaves to a wire rack.

You must let the bread rest for at least ~15-30 minutes before slicing it. Slicing it while it’s piping hot will result in a gummy texture as the internal structure hasn’t set.

No-Knead Olive Bread

prep time:15 minutes mins

cook time:1 hour hr

Rise Time2 hours hrs

total time:3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

This no-knead method just requires you to mix the ingredients and let time do the work. The real key to this bread is baking it in a preheated Dutch oven. The hot pot traps the steam released from the dough as it bakes, which is what creates a moist interior and a crackly, bakery-quality crust.

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Ingredients

(~2 small loaves)

• ▢ 3 cups tepid water ~100-115°F
• ▢ 4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast 2 standard packets
• ▢ 6 cups bread flour
• ▢ 3 1/2 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 cups pitted olives roughly chopped

Instructions

• Mix tepid water and yeast in a bowl. Let sit 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
• Combine flour, salt, and chopped olives in a large bowl.
• Add yeast mixture to flour mixture. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
• Cover and let rise 2 hours until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven with Dutch oven inside to 450°F.
• Divide dough into two pieces. Shape each into a ball on floured surface.
• Place first dough ball on parchment paper. Transfer to hot Dutch oven.
• Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10-20 minutes until golden.
• Repeat with second dough ball.
• Let loaves cool on wire rack for 15-30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Do not slice bread while hot to prevent gummy texture.