INGREDIENTS:
1 cup warm water 105º to 115º
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon flour, all-purpose
2 envelopes yeast
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup whole-grain wheat flour
2 1/4 cups bread flour
3/4 cup kalamata olives, drained, coarsely chopped
METHOD:
Combine water, sugar, and all-purpose flour in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over. Stir to blend. Cover and let stand until very spongy, about 15 minutes.
Whisk oil and salt into the yeast mixture. Stir in all but about 1/4 cup of flour. Beat on speed 2 until blended, about 3 minutes. Cover with plastic and let sit for 20 minutes.
Knead with the dough hook on speed 4 for 10 minutes. The dough should come away from the bowl easily. If sticky, add remaining or more bread flour. Damp weather could require as much as 2 ounces more flour. Lower speed to 2 and knead for 4 minutes more.
Oil in a large bowl. Place dough in the bowl and lightly oil the top of the dough. Cover and place in a warm draft-free location until double in bulk. About 45 minutes.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board. Gently deflate by pressing down. (Don’t overwork the dough at this point). Sprinkle the flattened dough with the olives. Gently fold in to incorporate. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Flour baking sheet. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a 10-inch long by 2-inch wide loaf. Place on baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut several shallow diagonal slashes about 2 inches apart on top of each loaf. Cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425º. Bake bread until loaves are crusty and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, rotating the sheet after 15 minutes, for a total baking time of about 25 minutes. Transfer loaves to racks; cool.
YIELD: Makes 2 loaves
