Kiss the Cook: Olive bread the perfect comfort food

One of my favorite things to make is bread. Working with bread, particularly yeast bread, is enjoyable.
Getting your hands in the dough, kneading it and watching it rise is all part of the fun process. On top of that, bread baking in the oven makes the house smell so good.
Recently, I visited an Italian restaurant with the special woman in my life, Amy.
They served olive bread that was quite good. That got me to thinking about making my own olive bread.
I had found recipes online, but the recipe below is one that I had to modify and correct. The dough was too sticky to knead and work with.
I also added some extras such as sun dried tomatoes and fresh herbs. It’s a tasty and comforting bread that you will not only enjoy eating, but enjoy making.

Mediterranean Olive Bread
Ready in: approx. 2 hrs 45 min.
Yields: 1-9” round loaf
Ingredients:
3 ¼ cups bread flour
2 tsp. dry active yeast
2 tbs. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ cup chopped Kalamata (or other) olives
¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
3 tbs. olive oil
½ tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
½ tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1 cup water (110 degrees F) (should feel warm to the touch-not hot)
1 tbs. cornmeal
Shortening
Directions:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, yeast, salt, olives, sun dried tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and water.
2. Using your hands, turn and knead dough until smooth and elastic (5 minutes), cover with a towel and place in a warm location away from draft (I usually place mine near the oven that is warming up) and allow to sit 45 minutes until it doubles in size. You may need to have a little extra flour on hand to sprinkle on the dough as you work it. The dough should be slightly sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little flour and knead until you can work it without it sticking to your hands. Punch down and knead the dough for another 5 minutes. Allow to again sit in a warm location covered with a towel for 30 minutes until it doubles in size.
3. Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle the cornmeal on that. Knock down and round the bread dough, placing it on the cookie sheet and covering it with a towel. Allow to sit in a warm place until double in size.
4. While the bread is rising the last time, place a pan with water on the bottom rack in your pre-heated oven.
5. Once the dough has doubled in size, place it in the oven on the middle rack above the pan with water and bake at 450 F for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 F and bake for another 35 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and grease the top with shortening while still hot.
7. Allow it to cool slightly before slicing. You can dip the slices in a mixture of Extra Virgin Olive oil and Italian seasoning with a pinch of salt. Enjoy.
Do you have a great recipe you would like to share? Please send it to Troy Bowersox, of Mifflinburg, for testing and possible publishing. Feedback and comments can be sent to bear@ptd.net.