Walnut-Olive Bread
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 2 hours 55 minutes
- Prep Time
- 25 minutes plus two hours for rising
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1cake yeast or 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 2tablespoons sugar
- 1cup warm water
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for greasing
- ½tablespoon salt
- ½cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme or parsley)
- 1teaspoon minced garlic
- 1tablespoon minced shallots
- 3½ to 4cups bread flour
- ⅓cup chopped walnuts
- ⅓cup pitted, chopped black olives like Gaeta or nicoise
Preparation
- Step 1
Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes. When the mixture is foamy, stir in the remaining ingredients. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook or by hand until it is smooth, shiny and elastic. (The dough can also be made in a food processor.) Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
- Step 2
Punch the dough down, roll it into 2 oblongs (about 8 inches long, 4 inches wide and 3 inches high), and place in oiled loaf pans. Let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
- Step 3
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Step 4
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool before slicing.
Private Notes
Comments
I was somewhat underwhelmed with this recipe! I found the final bread much sweeter than I typically expect for a walnut olive bread. I also didn't add the garlic or shallots, but did increase the walnuts and olives by a bit. It was fine, but I think it still could have used more walnuts and olives - maybe even 1.5x as much as is called for in the recipe.
Help! How much cake yeast? I have a 2oz cake which the package states equals 3 small .6oz cakes. Am I using 2oz or cut and use only .6?