Olive-Garlic Bread

Loaves:
2 cups warm water (approximately 105 degrees)
6 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 cup good quality black olives, rinsed well and chopped

 

 

In a large bowl, make a sponge by combining 1 cup of the water with 1 cup of the flour and all of the yeast, olive oil, garlic, salt and sugar.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and place it in a warm draft free area for 1/2 hour.
After 1/2 hour and the sponge has risen, add the chopped black olives and the remaining 1 cup of water and 5 cups of flour.
Using a wooden spoon, stir the dough until it is thick enough to handle.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it for 5 minutes, it should become somewhat smooth and firm.
Place the dough in a clean bowl that is large enough to allow it to rise and set the bowl in a warm draft free area for 1 hour. Within an hour the dough should double in size. For more flavorful bread, punch the dough down and allow it to rise again, this should take an additional 30 minutes.
After the dough has risen once or twice, punch it down again and turn it out onto a work surface.
Place the dough into 2 lightly oiled bread pans (depending on the size of your pans), or shape them into round or oval loaves and place them on a baking tray.
Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes in the pan(s) or on the tray.
Preheat an oven to 375F.
After the dough has risen again, brush or spray it with warm water and bake it in a preheated 375-degree oven for 30-40 minutes. To check for doneness: look for a golden brown crust it should remove easily from the loaf pan and sound hollow when the bottom is lightly tapped.
After removing the bread from the oven and from the bread pan place it on a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool for a full 30 minutes before slicing.
Yield: 2 loaves

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