To a measuring cup filled with the warm water, add the yeast. Give it a gentle stir, then let it rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, salt, and herbs in a large bowl. Once the yeast is frothy, pour the yeast mixture into the flour, along with the olive oil, and stir the dough with a wooden spoon until it starts coming together into a ball shape.
Grease your work surface with olive oil and turn the dough out onto this surface. The dough may still look somewhat shaggy, this is OK. Use the heel of your hand to knead the dough into a smooth ball. If it's still looking shaggy after a couple of attempts to make it look smooth, drizzle a little more olive oil and knead again.
Grease a large bowl, then transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rest for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 232°C/450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Regrease your work surface (if needed) and turn out your dough onto the surface. Slightly stretch the dough out into rectangular shape. Add the chopped olives, then fold the dough corners in to seal the olives in. Knead the dough, turning it over every now and then, to evenly disperse the olives throughout the dough.
Split the dough in half. Loosely cover one half with a sheet of plastic wrap and let it be. Take the other half of dough and transfer it to your prepared baking sheet. Stretch out the dough into an oval shape. Take a pair of kitchen scissors or knife and make a vertical cut down the center of the dough (not enough to split the dough in half, but just create a divide in the center. Make 3 separate, smaller cuts along each side of the center. Pull cuts apart as they will shrink when baking. Brush the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt if desired.
Bake the bread for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden throughout. Repeat the shaping and slashing for the remaining half of dough. Then bake as instructed.
Ingredients
Directions
To a measuring cup filled with the warm water, add the yeast. Give it a gentle stir, then let it rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, salt, and herbs in a large bowl. Once the yeast is frothy, pour the yeast mixture into the flour, along with the olive oil, and stir the dough with a wooden spoon until it starts coming together into a ball shape.
Grease your work surface with olive oil and turn the dough out onto this surface. The dough may still look somewhat shaggy, this is OK. Use the heel of your hand to knead the dough into a smooth ball. If it's still looking shaggy after a couple of attempts to make it look smooth, drizzle a little more olive oil and knead again.
Grease a large bowl, then transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rest for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 232°C/450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Regrease your work surface (if needed) and turn out your dough onto the surface. Slightly stretch the dough out into rectangular shape. Add the chopped olives, then fold the dough corners in to seal the olives in. Knead the dough, turning it over every now and then, to evenly disperse the olives throughout the dough.
Split the dough in half. Loosely cover one half with a sheet of plastic wrap and let it be. Take the other half of dough and transfer it to your prepared baking sheet. Stretch out the dough into an oval shape. Take a pair of kitchen scissors or knife and make a vertical cut down the center of the dough (not enough to split the dough in half, but just create a divide in the center. Make 3 separate, smaller cuts along each side of the center. Pull cuts apart as they will shrink when baking. Brush the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt if desired.
Bake the bread for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden throughout. Repeat the shaping and slashing for the remaining half of dough. Then bake as instructed.