Recipe: Olive Bread with Biga (sourdough starter

Green Olive Bread from Lost Arts
GREEN OLIVE BREAD

Breads made with both green and black olives...or served with green or black olives...are popular anywhere olives are grown.

2 teaspoons yeast
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup biga (sourdough starter)
3 cup whole wheat bread flour
2 1/2-3 1/2 cup unbleached white bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup chopped green olives

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. (If you own a Magic Mill Kitchen Machine, you can do this right in the mixing bowl before you add the other ingredients.)

2. Mix in the biga, then the flour, salt and knead thoroughly. Mix in the chopped green olives last.

3. Oil a large mixing bowl with olive oil (again, you can let the bread rise right in the bowl of the Magic Mill) and let the bread rise covered by a damp towel until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).

4. Punch down the dough, recover the bowl and then allow it to rise a second time until doubled (about 45 minutes...the yeast are really starting to "take hold").

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and shape as you desire. (I often make this bread in simple rustic rounds, or as rounded dinner rolls.)

6. Let the shaped dough rise until doubled on a cookie sheet or a baker's peel dusted generously with cornmeal.

7. Bake at 425 F (220 C) for about 45 minutes (25 minutes for rolls) or until nice and brown on the outside. Remove from the oven and allow it
to cool before cutting (if you can!).