No Knead Mediterranean Olive Bread

Step 1

Prepare flavor ingredients...2.25 oz (1can) sliced black olives, fill same can with pimento stuffed green olives and cut in half, fill same can with pitted kalamata olives and cut in thirds, zest 1 lemon and set aside.

Step 2

In a 3-4 qt glass mixing bowl add 3 cups bread flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp dried thyme 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and stir ingredients.

Step 3

Add the flavor ingredients and the 12 oz of cool tap water. Stir just until the dough comes together and away from the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place on your counter to proof for 8 to 24 hrs.

Step 4

When you're ready to make the bread, flour your work surface and roll the dough out. Flour you hands and flatten the dough slightly, folding the dough on itself forming a ball. Divide the dough into two portions.

Step 5

Then (one portion at a time) roll dough on work surface (dusting with flour as needed) form a long loaf and place on parchment paper. Cover each loaf with a lint free towel and let it proof for 1 to 2 hrs while the oven heats up.

Step 6

Move oven rack to lower third of oven and place baking vessel in oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. When oven has come to temperature, remove baking vessel from oven, use the parchment paper to lift the dough up and place it in the baking vessel, score (optional) and bake for 25 minutes with the top on and 5 minutes with the top off.

Step 7

30 to 45 minutes later gently turn the loaf out on work surface and place on cooling rack. Repeat process for the second loaf.