I love the romance of baking bread. The mixing, kneading, proving and waiting is all worth it for the freshly-baked aroma of a rustic loaf. I've tried many bread recipes, many of which take too long and I firmly believe that there's more to life than standing by the oven!
There's something about making bread from scratch that soothes the soul; the kneading, the aroma of fresh bread encasing the house and the sound of a bread knife cutting through the crust to reveal a fluffy, soft bread, just waiting to be smothered with something delicious.
This is a simple, basic bread recipe that has a salty, almost malted flavour. I added a large pot of olives and also added some dried rosemary for a salty-sweet flavour twist on the classic version.
Makes 1 large loaf
Ingredients
500g plain bread flour (and extra for dusting)
1 7g sachet dried yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tbsp olive oil
300ml lukewarm water
50g green olives, pitted and halved
Method
1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and rosemary in a large bowl.
2. In a jug, add the olive oil to the lukewarm water (I get the perfect temperature by adding 100ml boiling hot water and 200ml cold water).
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the water. Use your hands to quickly form a sticky dough.
4. On a floured surface, knead the dough for 5 minutes until it becomes smooth. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm area for an hour. The dough will prove and double in size.
5. Heat the oven to 220C/ Gas mark 7
6. After an hour, remove the dough and knead lightly to remove the air bubbles. Press in the olives. Shape into a round and place onto a baking tray. Slash the top with a knife. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden and crisp.
Enjoy!
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