Italian · serves 2

Olive Oil Bread

Fifty millilitres of olive oil in the dough. Soft crumb, thin crust, keeps well.

105 min Some work Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 300ml lukewarm water
  • 7g dried yeast
  • 500g strong white bread flour
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 50ml olive oil

Method

  1. Bloom the yeast in the water, 5 minutes.
  2. Mix flour, sugar and salt.
  3. Oil stirred into the yeast water, then poured in and mixed to a rough dough.
  4. Knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Prove 1 hour until doubled.
  5. Knock back, shape into a round or oval on a greased tray.
  6. Prove 30 minutes, then slash the top.
  7. 200°C for 35 minutes. Hollow when tapped underneath.

Questions people ask about Olive Oil Bread

How long does Olive Oil Bread take?

About 105 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a bit of work. A good part of that is unattended, so you can get on with something else once it is going.

What can I use instead of maida in Olive Oil Bread?

Use plain atta for a denser, nuttier result, or a 50/50 mix if you want to keep some lift.

Can I make Olive Oil Bread ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Is Olive Oil Bread vegetarian?

Yes, and as written it is vegan too. Check your specific brands if that matters to you.

Do I need an oven for Olive Oil Bread?

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

What do you serve with Olive Oil Bread?

A green salad and bread. Nothing else needed. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

Don't know what to cook? Let it decide →

More ideas by ingredient

If you liked this

Orange Biscotti
95 min · Some work
Dough Balls with Garlic Butter
105 min · Some work
Calzone
110 min · Some work
Mozzarella and Basil Stromboli
110 min · A proper cook
Stuffed Stromboli
110 min · A proper cook
Caprese Salad
10 min · Easy