Italian Bread and Biscuits Recipes - Black Olive Bread (Pane Alle Olive Nere) Recipe

Ingredients

• 45 ml/3 tbsp olive oil

• 450 g/1lb/4 cups strong white (bread) flour

• 10 ml/2 tsp salt

•  100 g/4 oz/2/3 cup black olives, stoned (pitted) and chopped

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 10 ml/2 tsp easy-blend dried yeast

• 200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup hand-hot water

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Method:

1. Oil a baking sheet. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Stir in the chopped olives.

2. Heat 30 ml/2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry (sauté) the onion for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Cool and add to the flour.

3. Add the yeast to the flour and mix to a soft dough with the water. Knead for 2 minutes and cover the bowl with Clingfilm (plastic wrap).

4. Leave in a warm place for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in volume. Turn out on to a floured board and knead for 2 minutes.

5. Form into a loaf shape and leave for 30 minutes. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

6. Brush with the remaining olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 30 minutes or until the base sounds hollow when tapped.

7. Turn out and cool on a wire rack before serving.