Italian Bread and Biscuits Recipes - Olive and Rosemary Bread (Facaccia alle Olive e Rosmarino) Recipe

Ingredients

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

• 10 ml/2 tsp salt

• 10 ml/2 tsp easy-blend dried yeast

• 100 g/4 oz/1 cup green olives, stoned (pitted) and chopped

• 15 ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

• 45 ml/3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large leek, finely chopped

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

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Method:

1. Oil a baking sheet. Blend the flour and salt in a bowl. Stir in the yeast, chopped olives and rosemary.

2. Heat 30 ml/2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry (sauté) the leek for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.

3. Cool and add to the flour. Mix with enough water to form a soft dough. Knead for 2 minutes and cover the bowl with c1ingfilm (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 place on an oiled baking sheet. Leave for 30 minutes.

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

7. Turn out and cool before slicing.