Olive Baguettes

I love bread. And I have had a strong love for bread since I was a kid. I don’t know what it is, but bread makes me feel so happy. Just picture this. A fresh loaf of bread, just out of the oven. The smell of the bread fills your kitchen. Once it’s cooled down, you slice the bread, it’t crust is crusty and crunchy, but inside, it is soft and pillowy. As you bite down on the bread, it fills you with warmth and happiness. I know it’s just bread, but homemade bread is just beautiful! And these olive baguettes were no exception. Once they came out of the oven, I tore off a piece and dipped it in olive oil mixed with balsamic vinegar. The acidity and the warmth of the olive oil was just perfection! 

Ingredients 

500 grams flour 

375 grams warm water 

30 ml olive oil 

4 grams instant yeast 

9 grams salt 

250 grams olives - sliced

Instructions 

1. Mix all the ingredients until well combined. Cover and rest the dough at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

2. Stretch and fold the dough with wet hands. Cover and rest the dough at room temperature for another 15 minutes. 

3. Mix in the olives then cover the dough again and chill in the fridge to ferment for 24-36 hours. 

4. Preheat the oven and a baking tray at 250c. 

5. Flour the counter generously. Divide the dough in 2 and form the dough into rectangles. Allow it to rest at rom temperature for 15 minutes. 

6. Form into baguettes as shown in the video. Place the baguettes on a baking tray lined with a tea towel, seam side up. Create walls with the tea towel so the baguettes rise in shape. Cover and allow them to rise for 15 minutes. 

7. Remove the tea towel by sliding it out from the middle. Brush off the excess flour. Then place the baguettes seam side down on the preheated baking tray. Make cuts on the dough using a sharp knife. 

8. Bake the baguettes at 250c for 15-20 minutes until golden and crispy. 

9. Remove them from the oven and cool to room temperature before serving.