OLIVE SOURDOUGH INGREDIENTS:

• 300 grams unbleached bread flour
• 140 grams 90% extraction wheat or whole wheat flour
• 360 grams 90°F/32°C filtered water, divided
• 90 grams ripe sourdough starter (100% hydration) 
• 9 grams kosher salt or fine sea salt
• 75 grams pitted Castelvetrano olives, sliced in half
• 75 grams pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half
• white rice flour, for dusting

Baker’s Percentages:

Use the following baker’s percentages to tweak and adapt this sourdough bread recipe to suit your own flour, hydration, or yield preferences. Please know the timeline might change. I recommend sticking to the same salt and sourdough starter percentages.  

• Bread Flour: 68%
• Whole Wheat Flour: 32%
• Water: ~82% (*this is a rough hydration percentage – true hydration takes into account the flour and water in your starter)
• Sourdough Starter: 20%
• Salt: 2%
• Olives: 34%

RECIPE NOTE: This sourdough bread recipe offers a rough timeline, but will need to be adapted to meet your specific conditions. Ambient temperature, starter strength, and flour type (as well as other variables) affect fermentation and play a very important role in bread baking.

How to Make Olive Sourdough Bread:

STEP 1: PREPARE THE AUTOLYSE

In a large mixing bowl, combine 300 grams unbleached bread flour and 140 grams 90% extraction wheat or whole wheat flour.

Add 350 grams (90°F/32°C) filtered water and mix, using a Danish dough whisk or your hands, until thoroughly combined and no dry bits are visible. Cover with a clean shower cap or plastic wrap, and rest at 78°F/25.5°C for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This step hydrates the flours and helps build dough structure.

I use my Brod & Taylor Proofing Box to maintain a relatively high ambient fermentation temperature. It is an amazing tool, but not required. However, I recommend finding a warmer spot in your kitchen (was 74°F-76°F) for resting your dough. Cooler ambient temperatures will slow down fermentation and might extend bulk fermentation time significantly.

*Planning Tip: Since this recipe doesn’t call for preparing an off-shoot levain, I mix and prepare the autolyse roughly an hour and a half before my normal morning starter feeding time.

STEP 2: ADD RIPE STARTER AND REST FOR 30 MIN

Add the remaining 10 grams filtered water and 90 grams ripe, just peaked sourdough starter. Use your fingertips to spread the starter over the autolyse mixture. Fold the edges of the dough into the center to fully incorporate the starter.

Use your thumb and fingers to pinch the dough (pincer method) repeatedly until the starter and remaining water is well incorporated. Don’t be delicate. You want to work quickly, but fully incorporate the mixture. Cover once again and rest at 78°F/25.5°C for 30 minutes.

STEP 3: ADD SALT AND REST FOR 15 MIN 

Sprinkle 9 grams Diamond Crystal kosher or fine sea salt over the surface of the dough. Use your thumb and fingers to pinch and incorporate the salt into the dough (you should not feel any granules at the end of mixing). Be thorough. Depending on the coarseness of the salt, this mixing step usually takes about 3 to 5 minutes.

If you’re struggling with higher hydration doughs and dough strength, there are two additional mixing methods that can try: slap and fold or the Rubaud method.

Cover and rest at 78°F/25.5°C for 15 minutes before preforming the first stretch and fold set.

STEP 4: BULK FERMENTATION 

We’ll preform three stretch and fold sets during the first 45 minutes of bulk fermentation. Each set will take place in 15-minute intervals. Cover and rest the dough at 78°F/25.5°C between each set.

To complete a stretch and fold, dip you hands lightly in water (*this will help the dough from sticking). Grab the top portion of the dough with both hands. Gently pull and stretch it upwards (without tearing) and fold over the opposite edge. Rotate the bowl 180° degrees and repeat from the other side.

Rotate the bowl 90° degrees and repeat once again on both sides. This entire process is one stretch and fold set.

STEP 5: LAMINATION (ADDING THE OLIVES)

After preforming the third and final stretch and fold set, cover and allow the dough to rest at 78°F/25.5°C for 30 minutes. Spritz your workspace with water (this will prevent the dough from sticking) – simply dip your hands in water and wipe the countertop lightly (or you can use a mister).

Gently transfer and turn the dough out onto your workspace.

Using both of your hands, gently grab and stretch the dough into a thin, large rectangular shape. The dough should be well developed and strong, and should be able to be stretch into a thin layer without tearing.

Distribute the pitted and halved olive mixture across the surface of the dough.

At this point, we’ll fold the dough into an envelope. To do so, fold the dough by grabbing both the top and bottom edge of the left or right side, and gently folding it over until it reaches the center. Repeat from the other side, folding it over so that it overlaps the previous fold.

Grab the top edges and fold them down, and repeat from the bottom edge.

Flip the dough so that it is seam side down, and using your hands, gently and quickly shape it into a loose round. Transfer the dough back to the bowl, cover, and rest at 78°F/25.5°C.

STEP 6: BULK FERMENTATION (CONTINUED) 

After lamination, allow the dough to rest for roughly 45 minutes before proceeding. After 45 minutes, we’ll preform two coil folds (with a 30-minute rest period between each).

To preform a coil fold, lift the dough from the center using both hands, allowing both ends to stretch and release from the container, and then fold under. Rotate the bowl 90° degrees and repeat. Cover and rest the dough at 78°F/25.5°C between coil folds.

Note: If the dough is very rounded in the bowl, feels very strong and is fighting you, you can skip these folds and simply allow the dough to rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation.

After you have preformed the stretch and folds, allow the dough to rest, covered, at 78°F/25.5°C for an additional 1.5 – 2 hours, or until the dough feels lively, has a few surface bubbles, is rounded on the edges, jiggles slightly in the bowl, and has nearly doubled in size.

STEP 7: PRE-SHAPE

Carefully transfer the dough, without degassing, onto a clean countertop. Use a bench knife to gently shape the dough into a round, pulling it towards you on the countertop to create some surface tension. The key is to do this step as quickly and gently as possible.

Rest the dough, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it has relaxed for the final shaping.

STEP 8: FINAL SHAPE

Dust the lined banneton basket lightly with rice flour. Lightly dust the surface of the dough with bread flour. Use a bench knife to gently lift it and flip it flour side-down onto your countertop.

Gently pick up the shaped dough, flip, and transfer into your floured banneton, with the seam side facing up. Drape a linen over the basket (to capture any condensation) and cover the banneton with a plastic bag.

STEP 9: FINAL PROOF

Place covered banneton in the refrigerator and retard dough for 15 to 16 hours at 38°F/3°C. This slow and cold fermentation stage helps develop flavor and improves the final crust texture.

STEP 11: BAKE 

Bake at 500°F/260°C with the lid on for 25 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 475°F/240°C (*note: if your oven runs hot or your loaves are browning too quickly, reduce the temperature to 450°F/232°C) and continue to bake uncovered for an additional 15-25 minutes or until the crust is deep golden and caramelized. I like to rotate the pan several times throughout baking to ensure even color.

Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing. This will take several hours. Enjoy!